Soon, a week had gone by.
"Humans are the spirit of all living things, and Gu are the essence of heaven and earth. In this world there are thousands upon thousands of kinds of Gu, countless beyond reckoning. They live all around us, in ore and soil, in thickets of grass, and even inside the bodies of wild beasts."
"As humanity thrived and multiplied, our forebears gradually discovered the profound mysteries of Gu worms. Those who have opened their apertures and use their own primeval essence to feed, refine, and manipulate these Gu to achieve various ends are collectively known as Gu Masters."
"Seven days ago, during the Aperture Opening Ceremony, all of you successfully opened your apertures and condensed your primeval essence seas. As of now, you are all Rank I Gu Masters."
In the village academy, the academy elder spoke with confident composure.
Before him, fifty-seven youths sat upright, each listening with rapt attention.
The wonder and power of Gu Masters had long taken root in the youths' hearts, so everything the elder taught left them completely captivated.
At that moment, a youth raised his hand. After the elder gave his permission, he stood and asked, "My lord academy elder, I have known since I was very young that Gu Masters are divided into Rank I, Rank II, and so on. Could you explain it to us in detail?"
Elder Gu Yue nodded and waved his hand for the youth to sit down. "Gu Masters have nine major realms in total. From lowest to highest, they are Rank I, Rank II, Rank III, all the way to Rank IX. Within each major realm there are four minor realms: initial stage, middle stage, upper stage, and peak stage. You have just become Gu Masters, so you are all at Rank I initial stage."
"If you cultivate diligently from now on, your cultivation will naturally rise, and advancing to Rank II or Rank III will also be possible. Of course, the higher your aptitude, the greater the chance of advancement."
"With Grade D aptitude, the primeval sea occupies twenty to thirty percent of the aperture; such people can at most cultivate to Rank I or Rank II. With Grade C aptitude, the primeval sea occupies forty to fifty percent of the aperture; such people usually stall at Rank II, with only a tiny fraction lucky enough to break through to Rank III initial stage. With Grade B aptitude, the primeval sea occupies sixty to seventy percent of the aperture; such people can cultivate to Rank III, and even as high as Rank IV. With Grade A aptitude, the primeval sea occupies eighty to ninety percent of the aperture and is abundant; naturally, such people possess the highest talent and are the most suited to Gu cultivation, capable of reaching Rank V."
"As for Gu Masters of Rank VI and above, every single one is a legend. I am not too clear on the specifics myself. Our Gu Yue clan has never produced a Rank VI Gu Master, but we have had Rank IV and Rank V Gu Masters before."
The youths all pricked up their ears, listening intently with eyes shining bright.
Many could not help but look toward Gu Yue Fang Zheng, who sat in solemn posture in the first row. This was a Grade A aptitude, after all! Their gazes were filled with envy and jealousy.
At the same time, some gazes drifted toward the corner in the very last row of the classroom.
In that corner by the window, Gu Yue Fang Yuan was sprawled over his desk, fast asleep and snoring soundly.
"Look, he's still sleeping," someone whispered.
"He's been sleeping through classes for a week straight. Hasn't he recovered yet?" someone said with a sneer.
"More than that! I heard he doesn't even return home at night, wandering all around the outskirts of the village."
"People have seen him more than once at night, hugging a wine jar and dead drunk outside. Luckily, in recent years, the village surroundings have been cleared, so it is relatively safe." The classmates huddled and whispered among themselves, and all kinds of hearsay spread rapidly.
"Alas, the blow was truly too great. He carried the title of a genius for so many years; who would've thought that in the end, he'd only be a Grade C? Hehe."
"If it were just that, it would be one thing. But his own younger brother was tested as a Grade A, and now he's the center of attention, enjoying the best treatment. The younger brother is high in the heavens while the older brother is down in the dirt, tsk tsk..."
As the murmurs around him grew louder and louder, the academy elder's frown deepened.
In the entire classroom, the youths all sat straight and proper, radiating youthful vigor; this made Fang Yuan, who lay sprawled asleep over his desk, stand out even more glaringly.
"A whole week has passed, and he is still so dispirited. Humph, I must have misjudged him back then. How could such a person possibly be a genius!" The elder snorted coldly with displeasure in his heart. He had already spoken to Fang Yuan about this situation many times, but it had no effect at all. Fang Yuan continued to do as he pleased. He slept through every lesson, which gave the academy elder a terrible headache and much annoyance.
"Forget it, he is just Grade C anyway. He cannot even withstand a blow like this. With a temperament like that, even if he were nurtured, he could hardly amount to anything; it would instead be a waste of the clan's resources." The elder was thoroughly disappointed in Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was only of Grade C aptitude. In comparison, his younger brother, Fang Zheng, possessed Grade A aptitude; he was the one truly worth the clan's greatest efforts to nurture.
As he thought this, the academy elder continued aloud with the previous topic. "In our clan's history, many strong figures have appeared. Among them, there have been two Rank V experts. One was the first-generation clan leader, our founding ancestor, who established the Gu Yue Village. The other was the fourth-generation clan leader. His natural talent was outstanding, and he cultivated all the way to the realm of a Rank V Gu Master. If not for that despicable and shameless demon, the Flower-Wine Monk, launching a sneak attack, he might have advanced to Rank VI. Alas..."
At this point, Elder Gu Yue let out a deep sigh.
Below the lectern, the youths all cried out, filled with righteous indignation.
"It's all that Flower-Wine Monk's fault, he was too sinister and cunning!"
"It's a pity our fourth-generation clan leader was so kind-hearted and benevolent, yet died in his prime."
"I only hate that I wasn't born a few hundred years earlier. Otherwise, if I had met that demon, I would certainly have fought him to the death to expose his vile nature!"
There was not a single Gu Yue clansman who did not know the story of the fourth-generation clan leader and the Flower-Wine Monk.
The Flower-Wine Monk was also a Rank V Gu Master, a notorious flower thief who had committed evil for many years and was infamous in the demonic path at that time. Several hundred years ago, he prowled to Qing Mao Mountain and attempted to commit crimes in the Gu Yue Village, but was seen through by the fourth-generation clan leader. After an earth-shaking battle, the Flower-Wine Monk was beaten to his knees, begging for mercy. The fourth-generation clan leader, kind-hearted and benevolent, intended to spare his life. Instead, the Flower-Wine Monk suddenly launched a sneak attack, gravely wounding the fourth-generation clan leader.
The clan leader was consumed by rage and killed the Flower-Wine Monk on the spot. However, he subsequently succumbed to his severe wounds and departed from this mortal world.
Therefore, in the hearts of all Gu Yue clansmen, the fourth-generation clan leader was a heroic figure who had sacrificed himself for the village.
"Flower-Wine Monk, huh..." Woken by the denunciations in the classroom, Fang Yuan opened his bleary, sleepy eyes.
He gave a long, lazy stretch, and in his heart he could not help but feel resentful. "Where on earth did this Flower-Wine Monk die? Why have I searched all around the village and still haven't found his inheritance?"
In his memory, about two months from now, a clan Gu Master who got drunk over a broken heart would lie dead drunk outside the village. The rich aroma of wine spreading in all directions would unexpectedly attract a Liquor Worm.
The Gu Master was overjoyed and tried to catch it. The Liquor Worm fled in panic, but the Gu Master chased closely without letting up; following its trail, he discovered a hidden cave entrance leading underground.
A Liquor Worm is a very precious kind of Gu. Still flushed with wine, that Gu Master risked entering the cave and reached a clandestine chamber. There, he discovered the skeletal remains of the Flower-Wine Monk, along with the inheritance left behind.
After the Gu Master returned to the village and reported all his findings, it immediately caused a massive sensation throughout the entire clan.
That Gu Master also benefited greatly from this fortune; his cultivation grew increasingly outstanding, even changing the heart of the lover who had once abandoned him. For a time, he became a prominent figure.
"What a pity that I only heard a general outline back then and didn't know the exact location. At that time, I never thought there would be a day when I would be reborn. Flower-Wine Monk, where on earth did you die?"
Over these past few days, he had bought a lot of wine and wandered idly around the village every night. He wanted to use the redolence of the wine to lure the Liquor Worm into showing itself. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the creature at all, and the result was deeply disappointing.
"If I could find that Liquor Worm and refine it into my vital Gu, it would be far better than the clan's Moonlight Gu. In the blink of an eye, it is already April; time waits for no man." Fang Yuan sighed, turning his gaze out the window.
Under the blue sky and white clouds, a luxuriant verdant massif stretched endlessly into the distance. In the proximity lay a bamboo forest.
This was the spear bamboo unique to Qing Mao Mountain, each one as straight as a line, its tip exceptionally sharp, just like a spearhead.
Not far away, the woods had already taken on a flush of luteovirescent green. The newly sprouted tender shoots formed a sprawling, chartreuse expanse, where beautifully plumaged birds would perch upon the branches from time to time.
The spring wind blew in, carrying the fresh air of verdant mountains and clear waters and scattering it across the world.
Without realizing it, the lesson was drawing to a close. The academy elder finally announced, "This week, I have taught you how to meditate and examine the primeval sea within your apertures, as well as how to sit cross-legged and circulate the primeval essence inside your bodies. Now, it is time to refine your vital Gu. Once this class dismisses, you will go to the academy's Gu chamber to choose a Gu worm. Once selected, return home to cultivate in seclusion. Only after you have refined your Gu may you return to the academy to resume your lessons. At the same time, this will be your first assessment. Whoever takes first place will receive a generous reward of twenty primeval stones."
Oh!
The next moment, the entire classroom cheered.
"Finally, it's time to refine a Gu worm. So which Gu worm should I pick?" A sharp gleam flashed and vanished in Fang Yuan's eyes.