Three days later, Fang Yuan got the news.
Wang Da is dead, the two young hunters vanished when hunting in the mountains. As for the hunter whose right hand was broken by Fang Yuan, he 'committed suicide' in his home out of depression.
Jiang He gave Fang Yuan a meaningful look as he delivered the news.
He had seen Wang Da's corpse and recognized him.
However, he didn't dare to reveal Wang Da's true identity.
As the stationed Gu Master, he carried responsibility.
Anyone within the system, regardless of their rank, was held accountable.
Wang Da had defected to the demonic faction three years ago, and during all that time, Jiang He never investigated.
If this matter were truly pursued, it would become the greatest stain on his record—and ruin his future in the clan.
He had even covered up the strange deaths of the three hunters.
"Fang Yuan, since we're acquaintances, from now on you get a 50% discount when you purchase things from my cousin brother Jiang Ya's shop!" During one time, Jiang He said this to Fang Yuan.
Everyone else was dead—only Fang Yuan and Jiang He knew the truth.
Even if the matter came to light, it wouldn't affect Fang Yuan much.
He had merely killed three village servants. Even if the number was thirty, the clan would overlook it. At most, he'd be fined 'tens of primeval stones' as punishment.
Jiang He's bribe was accepted by Fang Yuan without hesitation.
Though the situation was full of risk and uncertainty, the outcome was favorable.
Because of this incident, Fang Yuan—who had no real footing in the clan—gained a partial ally and an invisible faction behind him. This mysterious supporter became his second safety net. As Fang Yuan began gradually revealing his strength, this safety net would prove invaluable.
It would at least ensure he could cultivate up to Rank two without much resistance. He could already sense the academy elder's attitude toward him softening noticeably.
More than ten days passed in a flash.
After Gu Yue Fang Zheng and Mo Bei advanced in rank, Chi Cheng followed soon after, both successfully reaching Rank one upper stage.
Though extortion remained a factor, Fang Yuan no longer targeted Fang Zheng, Mo Bei, or Chi Cheng for their primeval stones. Instead, he chose to keep a low profile while his strength soared—growing several times faster than in his previous life.
Time flew by like a white steed dashing past a gap, and with autumn's arrival, summer quietly slipped away.
Fang Yuan was approaching Rank one peak stage; of course Fang Zheng had totally surpassed him at this point.
Fang Zheng had been poisoned and lay unconscious for seven days and nights. When he finally awoke, he was like a completely different person—diligent and deeply committed to his cultivation.
Some said that the hardships one faces in life are a kind of wealth, just like gold.
Whether or not that saying held true, Fang Zheng came out of the ordeal transformed, gaining valuable experience. He was like unrefined jade—only after being polished did his inner brilliance begin to shine through.
He was the first among his peers to reach the peak stage leaving his classmates far behind. The benefits of his A-grade talent were finally beginning to reveal themselves.
"I am not far from peak stage either, at most a month. In fact, I have been nurturing my aperture nonstop every day, but a C-grade talent really cannot compete with A and B grades." Fang Yuan laughed bitterly without sound as he thought of it.
Once a day, every week, he would have to hunt down a wild boar to feed the White Boar Gu.
The autumn wind rustled through the air, while the red leaves drifted aimlessly. The wild grass was dried yellow, and brilliant red or orange yellow wild fruit hung from the tree branches.
"Hurrumph!" A black coloured wild boar rushed madly with its four hooves on the ground, its mane pricking up. There was a thick layer of fallen leaves that accumulated on the surface of the mountain.
As the wild boar rushed forward, a gust of wind was wedged between it, and the fallen leaves were sent dancing behind its body.
Fang Yuan silently stood there, showing a cold calculating expression as the wild boar got closer.
Kill!
He stepped forward boldly, planting both feet firmly without the slightest intention of dodging, facing the wild boar head-on.
The boar's two gleaming white tusks sliced through the air, brimming with deadly intent.
Fang Yuan turned his body to dodge the tusks and swiftly sent out a Moonblade.
Slash.
Blood spurted from the boar.
Once again, Fang Yuan launched a second Moonblade, this time striking the same spot directly.
Skreee!
The wild boar screamed in pain as it rapidly lost blood.
Looking at the weaken wild boar, Fang Yuan rushed forward grabbing the wild boar's tusks with his left hand and his right arm stretching straight and raised to the highest point, before smashing down at full force.
Bam.
Fang Yuan knelt on the ground on one knee, his elbow harshly whacking the wild boar's skull. Even before the wild boar could cry out, its noise came to a stop.
An entire pig head turned deformed, the broken white skull pierced through the black skin, exposing outside. Fresh blood and brain matter slowly flowed out, and in the layers of leaf litter, it infected an area of bright redness.
Fang Yuan's right elbow was quite severely damaged, but thanks to his extraordinary regeneration, the wound would only take a few days to fully heal.
"Even without the Jade Skin Gu, I can kill the boar with my bare hands. It's just that I'll need a few days to recover from any damage taken. My skin is fairly strong on its own, but it still can't compare to the Jade Skin Gu." Fang Yuan was taking every opportunity to test the limits of his physical body without anyone's suspicion.
Within the aperture, the black green-coloured primeval sea's tides turned and crashed, ebbed and flowed.
When the primeval sea is full, it occupied 44% of the space. After an intense battle, Fang Yuan used the Moonlight Gu multiple times to attack the boar, and some primeval essence was expended, thus there was only 40% primeval essence left.
"The higher the Gu Master's cultivation, the stronger their battle strength, and this shows in the primeval essence. The higher the stage, the darker the colour of the primeval essence, and the more durable it is. My black green primeval essence was on the basis of upper stage primeval essence, refined by the Liquor worm. It is unlike Fang Zheng, who is already Rank one peak stage cultivation already." Thinking of this, Fang Yuan's gaze shone.
Time flies, it is already late autumn.
Two months had passed since Wang Da's attempted assassination.
Fang Yuan had already broke through to the peak stage cultivation
"This is slightly better than in my previous life, where I was still exploring the inheritance and making slow progress." Fang Yuan continued thinking, but suddenly, a shadow stepped over the dried branches and approached.
It was a lone, wandering old wolf.
Its fur was a dull brown, and it walked with a limp.
One of its eyes was damaged, leaving only the sharp alertness of the remaining left eye.
It stared intently at Fang Yuan, its nose twitching.
Like dogs, wolves relied heavily on their keen sense of smell—no doubt it had been drawn here by the scent of pig blood.
Although wolves usually moved in packs, there were exceptions like this lone one.
Competition existed within wolf packs too, and sometimes, to preserve order, they would drive out the old, injured, or crippled.
Fang Yuan stared at the old wolf, meeting the old wolf's gaze in silence.
A person and a wolf distanced fifty steps away, silently observed each other.
In the wolf's eye, green light shone as it showed a cruel and cunning expression. Fang Yuan's eyes however, were dark and eerie, his black iris emanating chilling intent.
The wolf's eyes shone with green light and contracted. It first took a few steps back, then jumped into the bushes.
This wolf was still alive till today, it definitely had some intelligence. It keenly felt Fang Yuan's danger, and decided to retreat.
Its entry and exit were both fast and abrupt.
"The main theme of life and death, such excitement born from great nature." Fang Yuan stood on the spot, and did not give chase. This wolf did not have anything worth Fang Yuan's attack.
Aiiee!
But the next moment, the old wolf's crying was heard.
The wolf's howling suddenly erupted and ended suddenly. Even so, there was a thick surge of death aura overflowing.
Crack crack.
In the bush, there were sounds of twigs being stepped on.
"Able to get rid of that sneaky old wolf in a second, it should be him, Gu Yue Chi Shan." Fang Yuan figured out the person.