"Right now, all the problems boil down to the Flower Wine Monk's legacy. If I can find it, all difficulties will be easily solved. If I cannot discover it, these tough problems will greatly slow down my cultivation speed. It will cause me to be left far behind by my peers right at the beginning of cultivation. It is puzzling. I have spent over a week trying to lure the Liquor worm out, why has there been no result?"
Fang Yuan frowned, pondering deeply. He did not even know the taste of the food he was eating.
Right at this moment, a burst of noise drifted over, interrupting his thoughts.
Fang Yuan looked toward the sound and found that at the central table, six hunters sitting around it were already reeking of alcohol. The atmosphere was as intense as fire, each of them with flushed faces and thick necks.
"Brother Zhang, come, drink another cup!"
"Big Brother Feng, we brothers admire your skills. Taking down a black-skinned wild boar all by yourself, truly a good man! You must drink this cup of wine; if you don't drink it, you are not giving us brothers face."
"Thank you brothers for your high regard, but I really cannot drink anymore."
"If Big Brother Feng cannot drink anymore, is it because you disdain this wine as not good enough? Waiter, come over here, serve us masters some good wine!"
The voices grew louder and louder; very clearly, a few of the hunters had drunk too much.
The waiter hurrying about the hall hurriedly walked over: "Several big brothers, we do have good wine, but it is somewhat expensive."
"What, are you afraid us masters will not pay or something?!" Hearing these words, several of the hunters stood up and glared at the shop waiter. They were either big and tall with burly figures, or dark, thin, and sturdy, aggressively fierce, carrying the tough aura unique to mountain dwellers.
The waiter hurriedly made his greetings, crying out his grievances: "How would this lowly one dare to look down on you heroes and good men? It is just that this wine is truly somewhat expensive; one jar is worth two primeval stones!"
The hunters all blanked out.
Two primeval stones, that was not cheap; it was the living expenses of an ordinary family for two months. Although hunters hunted and earned more than ordinary mortals—sometimes one black-skinned wild boar was worth half a primeval stone—this hunting also carried risks. Sometimes, if things went wrong, they would become the prey themselves.
To spend two primeval stones just to drink a jar of wine was too unworthy for a hunter.
"Is there really such expensive wine?"
"Boy, you are not tricking us, are you?"
The hunters shouted and hollered, but their voices were all a bit hollow, carrying an awkwardness of not being able to step down gracefully.
The waiter repeatedly cried out that he would not dare.
Seeing that the situation was not right, the hunter called Brother Feng hurriedly smoothed things over: "Brothers, do not spend any more money. We cannot drink anymore today; let us drink this wine on another day."
"What is brother saying!"
"How can this do…"
The rest of the hunters shouted, but their voices gradually weakened, and one by one they sat back down in their seats.
The waiter was also a shrewd person. Seeing this posture, he knew the deal could not be made.
However, he was already used to seeing this kind of situation. Just as he was about to retreat, an unexpected young man's voice came from that table in the corner: "Hehe, truly laughable. What are you all blindly hollering about? If you cannot afford the wine, then obediently shut your mouths and shrink to the side!"
Hearing these words, one of the hunters was instantly stimulated and yelled out: "Who says we cannot afford it?! Waiter, serve that jar of wine. I will give you the primeval stones, isn't it just two pieces!"
"Ah, customer please wait a moment, it will be right here!" The waiter did not expect a turn of events; he immediately took up the offer, turned around, and went to bring up a jar of wine.
This wine jar was only half the size of an ordinary wine jar. But when the clay seal was slapped open, a clear and mellow fragrance of wine instantly wafted out, permeating the entire dining hall.
That old man drinking alone by the window also could not help but turn his head due to this wine fragrance, casting his gaze upon this jar of wine.
It was indeed good wine.
"Several customers, this lowly one is not bragging. This is top-grade Green Bamboo wine; in the entire mountain village, our inn is the sole proprietor. Smell this wine fragrance!" The shop waiter spoke while taking a deep breath, his face full of enjoyment and satisfaction.
Fang Yuan's heart stirred; what this shop waiter said was not considered bragging.
There were a total of three taverns in Gu Yue Village, all selling ordinary rice wine and muddy wine, the varieties largely identical but with minor differences. To lure the Liquor worm into showing itself, Fang Yuan had continuously bought wine for seven days, so he naturally understood the market conditions clearly.
Looking at the wine jar in front of them, the alcohol addiction of the several hunters was hooked. One by one, their noses twitched and their Adam's apples bobbed.
And the face of that hunter who had been quick-tongued and bought the wine became even more colorful, gaining a trace of vexation.
Just this one jar of wine was worth two primeval stones!
"I bought this wine on a moment of impulse. This shop waiter is too unauthentic, immediately serving the wine. Now that the clay seal is opened, even if I want to return it, I cannot."
The more the hunter thought about it, the more his heart ached. He wanted to return it, but he truly could not wipe away this face.
In the end, he could only slap the table and force a smile: "Damn it, this is good wine! Brothers, drink openly. Today, this brother is treating you to this wine!"
Right at this moment, the young man at the corner table let out another sneer: "Just this one small jar of wine, how is it enough for six people to drink? If you have the guts, buy a few more jars."
The hunter's veins bulged furiously at being pushed by these words. He shot up to his feet, flying into a sudden rage, his eyes glaring widely at the young man who spoke: "Little bastard, you have quite a lot of words, don't you. Come, step out, come exchange a few moves with your brother!"
"Oh? Then I will step out." Hearing these words, the youth really stood up and walked out of the corner shadow with a sinister smile.
He had a tall and thin build, with a pale complexion. He wore a set of deep blue martial clothing, appearing neat and agile.
He wore a sapphire blue headband on his head, and his upper body was clad in a short shirt, exposing his frail shoulders. On his lower body, he wore long trousers, with woven bamboo shoes on his feet, and puttees wrapped around his calves.
The most crucial point was that he tied a cyan cloth belt around his waist. Inserted in the middle section of the belt was a shiny copper plate, and engraved on the copper plate was a black "One" character.
"Rank 1 Gu Master?!" The clamoring hunter evidently understood the meaning represented by this attire. He drew in a breath of cold air, the angry look on his face fading away, turning into fear and dread.
He had never expected that he had actually provoked a Gu Master!
"Didn't you want to exchange moves with me? Come on, make your move." The young Gu Master paced over, wearing a face full of mocking smiles.
But the hunter who had just provoked him was like a sculpture, standing in place without making a single movement.
"Or you can all attack together, that works too," the young Gu Master slowly walked to the hunters' table and said very casually.
The colors on the hunters' faces all changed. Some who had drunk until their faces were red instantly turned pale. Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads one by one; they sat on pins and needles, not even daring to breathe heavily.
The young Gu Master stretched out a hand, lifted the jar of Green Bamboo wine, placed it under his nose, sniffed it, and laughed: "It truly is fragrant…"
"If Lord Gu Master likes it, please take it and drink. Treat it as this lowly one offending Milord, offering an apology to Milord." The hunter who had shouted provocations hurriedly cupped his hands in a salute and said with a smile piled onto his face.
Unexpectedly, the young Gu Master's expression violently changed. With a crash, he smashed the wine jar onto the ground.
The Gu Master's face was like ice, his gaze like swords, as he roared softly in a low voice: "Based on just you, you hold the qualifications to offer me an apology? You hunters are truly rich, even richer than me, actually spending two primeval stones to buy wine to drink?! Do you know that I am currently worrying over primeval stones?! And you actually dare to flaunt your wealth in front of me at this time! Are you mortals even worthy?!"
"We dare not, we dare not!"
"Colliding with Milord, our crimes deserve ten thousand deaths!"
"This lowly one had no intention of offending. Here are the primeval stones on our bodies, please accept them with a smile, Lord Gu Master."
The hunters all stood up as if electrocuted, pulling primeval stones out from their chests. But what kind of wealth could these mortals have? What they pulled out were all fragmented pieces of primeval stones, the largest not even exceeding a quarter.
The young Gu Master, however, did not take these primeval stones. He just kept sneering, using his falcon-like gaze to sweep across the entire dining hall.
The hunters swept by his gaze all lowered their heads one by one. That old man watching the bustle at the window table also hurriedly turned his head, avoiding the Gu Master's gaze.
Only Fang Yuan watched quietly, entirely without misgivings.
This young Gu Master's attire could only be worn by official Gu Masters; even Fang Yuan did not yet have the qualifications. Only after Fang Yuan graduated from the academy could he collect it from the clan.
The "One" character on the copper plate of the young Gu Master's belt indicated his identity as a Rank 1 Gu Master.
But he already looked to be in his twenties. Judging from the aura of primeval essence radiating from his body, he should be at the Rank 1 upper stage.
Starting cultivation at fifteen, yet still only at the Rank 1 upper stage in his twenties; this showed that the youth's aptitude was only D-grade, a tier worse than Fang Yuan's. Most likely, he was just a logistics Gu Master, not even counting as a combat Gu Master.
But even so, dealing with six burly hunters was still more than enough.
This was the gap in power between a Gu Master and mortals.
"With power, one can stand high and above; this is the fundamental nature of this world. No, any world is like this—big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp. It is just that this world displays it a bit more nakedly." Fang Yuan sighed silently in his heart.
"Alright Jiang Ya, teaching them a lesson is enough. Do not make things difficult for these mortals; if word gets out, even if you don't find it disgraceful, I will." Another young person sitting in the corner spoke up at this time.
Hearing her speak, the crowd finally realized that this young person was a woman.
The young Gu Master named Jiang Ya felt bored after being spoken to by his female companion. He stopped his sneering, not even looking at the fragmented primeval stones offered up by the hunters. Added together, these primeval stones were not even enough for two complete pieces; naturally, he had no interest.
With a flick of his sleeve, he walked toward his original seat, laying down harsh words as he took his steps: "If you have the guts, keep drinking, and drink the Green Bamboo wine. Let me see who else dares to drink this wine?"
The hunters all lowered their heads, scolded like six obedient grandchildren.
The rich fragrance of wine permeated the entire dining hall. Smelling the wine fragrance, the muscles on the face of the hunter who bought the wine twitched with heartache.
He had spent two primeval stones on this wine, yet did not even get to take a single sip!
Fang Yuan put down his chopsticks; he was already full. Smelling this wine fragrance, his gaze flickered a few times. He suddenly pulled out two primeval stones, placed them on the table, and said flatly: "Waiter, serve me a jar of Green Bamboo wine."
The entire hall blanked out.
That young Gu Master Jiang Ya instantly stopped his steps, his mouth twitching, drawing in a sharp breath. He had just laid down harsh words, yet Fang Yuan immediately ordered this jar of wine. Was this not specifically tearing down his stage and slapping his face?
He turned around, narrowed his eyes, and shot a sinister and cold gaze toward Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan candidly met his eyes, his face flat and composed, entirely without fear.
Jiang Ya's gaze flashed, and the sinister cold aura gradually faded. He sensed the aura of primeval essence on Fang Yuan's body.
He figured out Fang Yuan's identity and instantly laughed, as warm as a spring breeze: "So it is a junior schoolmate."
The others came to a sudden realization, and the gazes looking toward Fang Yuan instantly changed.
No wonder this youth was not the least bit afraid of a Gu Master; it turned out he was also a Gu Master. Although still attending the academy, his fundamental nature was already different.
"Lord Gu Master, your wine!" The waiter ran over eagerly, wearing a fawning smile on his face.
Fang Yuan nodded to the young Gu Master Jiang Ya, picked up the jar of wine, and walked out of the inn.