"Moving on to my second question," the same elder said. "We've been talking about moving there, but what about our Moon Orchids and our signature gu worms that need them? They are a staple of our clan. Even if we try to switch over to using the Bone Path, it could possibly take 30 to 40 years for it to fully flourish with a set of complete gu worms." Although Bone Spear Gu and Spiral Bone Spear Gu were alright for the lower ranks to use, the true strength of the clan was with its elders. Fang Yuan was able to show them several other refinement recipes, but the Rank 3 version of the gu worm, Bone Spike Gu, damaged the user as well. Who would want to use that kind of gu worm?
30 to 40 years was a long time. However, it was actually a very low estimation.
The current proliferation of the Moonlight Gu and its variants in the Gu Yue Clan was a result of over a thousand years of painstaking experimentation with various refinement materials, fusion, and reverse refinement of new gu worms and alternative ingredients. Even now, if one went ahead and saw the recipes in the clan's storage, one would find notes from Gu Masters from centuries ago describing things they had discovered which seemed to increase the refinement rate of gu worms.
So, even if they had a batch of Gu worms already prepared and several bone path recipes as described by the Flesh Bone Lord in his book, it still could not hold a candle to the Gu Yue clan's developments when it came to the Moonlight Gu.
"Speaking of such, there is a potential compromise we can come to," Fang Yuan said. "I've managed to obtain a Rank 5 Earth Eating Eel."
"Earth Eating Eel?" Several of them asked, unfamiliar with this gu worm.
Fang Yuan took it out of his aperture, with it being nearly as large as the room. It was a gu worm that was so flat it looked almost two-dimensional, like it was a rug rather than a living creature. It was covered in green scales. They had been given to him by the Goody Two-Shoes system after giving the location of the second spirit spring to the Bei Clan.
"The effect of the eel is simple," Fang Yuan said. "It can swallow a large amount of earth, and when it does so, its body begins to expand. Don't look at how big it is right now. It can easily swell up to over a hundred times this size. Once that happens, the soil is absorbed onto its scales, and the soil can then be used for planting crops, such as the Moon Orchids. It only needs fresh soil to feed it, so long as we can provide it with that, we can continue growing our Moon Orchids."
Even if it was expanded to 100 times, it would still not be as large as the Gu Yue Clan's current Moon Orchid garden. However, it would be sufficient to grow enough petals to sustain them for some time.
Transplanting the moon orchids would be a bit of an issue, and they may have to take the help of the Moon and Stars Support Vine Gu once more once they got there, but this was better than nothing.
With most of this matter settled in this way, Qing Shu announced to the village the next morning that there would be a large hunting competition in order to train the Gu Yue Clan's Gu Masters to be better prepared to deal with future events.
Many people didn't understand why this was going on, given how very few Gu Masters there were. However, as Elder Qing Shu began listing out some of the prizes, including Moon Orchid Petals and primeval stones, interest began to increase.
To the surprise of many people, the hunt would not be taking place in Gu Yue Village, but rather near a distant peak called Bei Gu Mountain.
***
Fang Zheng took out his vital gu, the Liquor Worm, and then began adding wine to it, as well as two Moonlight Gu.
This was an alternate evolution path of the Moonlight Gu, which had been developed by the Gu Yue Clan to turn it into the Moon Harbinger Gu.
After doing so, he then began tossing in Moon Orchid Petals and then primeval stones. Luckily enough, he succeeded on his first try. Then again, being a rank two Gu, the success of refinement was relatively high. It would not be so easy to make the Seven Fragrances Liquor Worm.
The Moon Harbinger Gu was not very useful - it was a signaling type gu worm that would emit a bright light somewhat like a lighthouse on Earth, but it was so bright that it would alert one's enemies as well. But Fang Zheng didn't really care if it was a dud stage, so was the Four Flavors Liquor Worm, at least with this he had a chance of getting it to Rank 3.
In the evenings, Fang Yuan would use Rank 5 Training Weights Gu in order to dilute his Rank 5 essence to Rank 4 essence, allowing him to use Bone-Flesh Unity Gu to help Fang Zheng in his cultivation. Bright yellow golden essence began to fill Fang Zheng's aperture.
Since Rank 5 Training Weights Gu diluted the primeval essence, the rate at which he recovered it was also far faster. And so this wasn't simply a doubling of what Bai Ning Bing efficiency, but rather multiplying it several times!
Fang Zheng found himself at rank three middle stage within a few days.
And by the time the first caravan was being arranged to leave for Bei Gu Mountain, he had just reached rank three upper stage.
Fang Yuan, for his own part, was not slouching, attempting to use Equality Gu to advance his own cultivation. However, breaking through from Rank 5 Initial to Rank 5 Middle Stage was not easy, even with the amplification of Equality Gu's effect. However, he did feel that he was close to that point.
"If I could somehow reverse-refine Rank 4 Training Weights Gu to rank 3, then I could just give it to Fang Zheng, and this might not be necessary," he thought to himself. Even then though, the recovery to Fang Zheng's aperture would be extremely slow. Nothing could truly rival Bone-Flesh Unity Gu's effectiveness.
***
In the coming days, with the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus gone, the signs of the spirit spring drying up became apparent to the clan elders, who quickly put any grievances they had aside and started working to arrange for things to go as smoothly as possible.
The first batch of caravans was going to be led by him and Fang Zheng would be coming along for the ride.
He could have sent Qing Shu instead, however, he needed someone back in the village to look after things, and that was also why Bai Nin Bing was left behind.
It was a Fang Yuan's other contingency against something happening in the village.
Fang Yuan was strong, but he could only be in one place at once: either with the caravan or at the village, not both.
And it was clear that the situation was more dangerous with the caravan. Casualties would be high, and it might even be completely derailed from its path if they were not careful. His presence would greatly affect the success of their relocation.
At least, this is all what Fang Yuan had planned out in his head for their journey. Something happened which caused this plan to change.
"Everyone look! Down there, near the foot of the mountain!"
"I don't believe it!"