Everything unfolded just as Liu Chen had predicted; Fang Yuan obediently followed the Wine Gu, stepping by step, into the Flower Wine Inheritance land he had meticulously arranged.
To ensure Fang Yuan received the maximum possible enhancement from this Legacy, Liu Chen even left behind some primeval stones, hoping they would aid Fang Yuan in his cultivation.
However, to avoid alerting Fang Yuan, Liu Chen did not use a scouting Gu worm to monitor him, only observing from afar as Fang Yuan entered the cave.
"What a pity," Liu Chen sighed inwardly, "Old Man Wang's family is about to return to their original plotline. But there's nothing that can be done; after all, in this world, having no power means original sin."
Thinking of this, Liu Chen couldn't help but feel a touch of sorrow for Old Man Wang's family.
They were merely ordinary people in this cruel world, powerless to change their fate, struggling desperately on the brink of life and death.
Although the plot had returned to its original course, Liu Chen was not in a hurry to seek out Fang Yuan.
He chose to continue concealing his whereabouts, awaiting a suitable opportunity.
Finally, when Liu Chen's cultivation successfully broke through to Four-Turn mid-stage, he unhesitatingly took out those two precious Golden Relic Gu.
He had opened countless treasure chests, yet only obtained two Golden Relic Gu, which shows how precious these Gu worms are; even in the Jia Family, such Gu worms are not for sale.
Whenever they appear, they are acquired at high prices by the Jia Family and do not circulate in the market.
After refining these two Golden Relic Gu, Liu Chen immediately felt a surge of powerful energy within his body.
This power, like surging waves, rapidly scoured the cliffs of his Aperture, directly boosting his cultivation to Four-Turn Peak.
Time flew by like a white steed flashing past a crevice; in a blink, three months vanished like a shooting star.
During these brief yet long three months, his cultivation remained unable to Breakthrough to Rank Five.
However, Liu Chen was not discouraged by this; he cleverly utilized this period to refine his Sword Path Gu worm to Four-Turn.
Nevertheless, the drawback was that his vital Gu and the Gu worms related to the Sword Embryo series were limited by Liu Chen himself, and thus unable to Breakthrough the shackles of advancement.
This was undoubtedly a regrettable situation.
Due to the limitations of Qing Mao Mountain, the food Liu Chen could provide to the Sword Embryo Gu series Gu worms became extremely limited, making it difficult to meet their needs for further improvement.
Moreover, as Gu worms were refined to Third Rank, the required gu materials also increased.
The Jia Family caravan arrived at Qing Mao Mountain.
With the arrival of the caravan, the originally tranquil place instantly became bustling and lively, as if infused with new vitality.
The caravan quickly set up camp, erected tents, and displayed a dazzling array of goods, transforming the area into a bustling market in the blink of an eye.
People weaved through it, haggling and exchanging joyful laughter, creating a lively scene.
Seeing this, Liu Chen's heart stirred; he concealed his Four-Turn aura, disguised his face, and quietly blended into the caravan.
His target was clear: the gambling den within this caravan.
Liu Chen strode into the gambling den, mimicking others, pretending to examine the neatly arranged ordinary-looking stones, as if searching for hidden treasures within them.
Fang Yuan slowly entered the room with an expressionless face, his steps steady and composed, as if the entire world had nothing to do with him.
Upon entering the room, his gaze, like that of an eagle, quickly scanned around, finally settling on a pile of inconspicuous purple stones.
Fang Yuan's lips, however, curved slightly upward into a barely perceptible smile, and he softly said, "Purple, it's my lucky color."
He walked to the pile of stones without hesitation and boldly selected ten of them.
This action attracted the attention of many Gu Masters present, who cast surprised glances, some even whispering amongst themselves.
Stone gambling, for Gu Masters, was an activity fraught with risk.
Ordinary Gu Masters often dared not try it easily, as the chance of gambling on a Gu worm was simply too low.
However, there was always a greedy side to human nature, which was the secret to the enduring prosperity of gambling dens.
Fang Yuan seemed unconcerned by the reactions of those around him; he focused intently on the stones in his hand, as if he could see the Gu worm inside through the stone skin.
He gently lifted a stone, and the Moonblade in his hand danced like lightning, sending stone chips flying and fragments raining down.
As time passed, the first stone was quickly ground away, but disappointingly, there was no Gu worm inside, only an ordinary waste rock.
Despite this, Fang Yuan did not lose heart; he continued to cut stones, yet each one was the same, with no trace of a Gu worm.
The Gu Masters watching the spectacle began to mock him, waiting to see Fang Yuan make a fool of himself, believing him to be nothing more than an arrogant fool who overestimated himself.
As he continued to cut the stone, and the cutting deepened, a faint aura of a Gu worm gradually emanated.
Although this aura was weak, to those familiar with Gu worms, it was as obvious as a bright lamp in the night sky.
A faint smile also appeared on Fang Yuan's face because of this.
Just then, a thin, handsome young man in his twenties walked in.
His steps were somewhat hurried, and he seemed very interested in this stone.
Upon entering, he walked directly to Fang Yuan and said with a look of concern, "Young man, I want this stone.
I'll give you sixty primeval stones; I don't want you to lose money, so don't cut it badly."
"Jia Jinsheng, I wonder if you'll still survive after I destroy that shadow wall," Liu Chen stood to the side, quietly observing this scene.
However, Fang Yuan was not swayed by Jia Jinsheng's offer; he remained unmoved and continued to cut the stone.
As the cutting continued, the Gu worm inside the stone was finally fully revealed to everyone.
It was a Rank 1 rare Gu worm, a common toad, its body displaying a unique yellow color, forming a stark contrast with the surrounding stones.
This Gu worm was the main material for refining the Rank 2 Bronze Treasure Qi Toad, and the Bronze Treasure Qi Toad was the most useful mount Gu for merchants in Southern Border.
"Are you trying to force a sale from me, a Gu Yue clansman, here in Gu Yue Village?" Fang Yuan's words fell, and the entire scene immediately became somewhat tense.
His words were like a fire, igniting the emotions of many Gu Yue Village clansmen present.
Immediately, many Gu Yue clansmen stepped forward, glaring angrily at Jia Jinsheng, clearly displeased with his actions.