Dong, dong, dong.
"Lord Fang Yuan, it is me, Gu Yue Jiang Ya," a voice shouted after the knocking.
Fang Yuan frowned, Jiang Ya had become increasingly overbearing lately, repeatedly seeking him out to ask for vitality leaves.
With more and more people dying or being crippled, the price of vitality leaves had soared, creating a situation of high demand and no supply.
"How many times have I told you that I don't have more vitality leaves. Get lost." Fang Yuan coldly snorted. How could he give up his cultivation time for trifle primeval stones earnings.
Outside the door, Jiang Ya had a flattering smile on, "Lord Fang Yuan, please appease your anger. You are aware of the current situation, what choices do I have? Many Gu Masters know I sell vitality leaves and they all look for me. It is not easy for the little me to pass my days. How about this, I will pay ten percent more. Lord Fang Yuan, please be kind and give me a dozen vitality leaves."
After speaking, he started begging and his sound carried some sobbing.
Fang Yuan was indifferent, "That is your affair, what does it have to do with me? Hmph, your guts are getting bigger these days, you forgot the agreement between us and actually brought someone else."
"Ah….." Jiang Ya gave a bitter smile outside the door. He looked at the old Gu Master beside him. He had no other way, this Gu Master was very powerful and had stubbornly followed him here.
"Little friend Fang Yuan." This old Gu Master spoke, "I am Gu Yue Ye, I believe you have heard of me. I came to purchase some vitality leaves and hope you, little friend, can show me some respect and give a little time to produce some."
"Give you respect. Heh, what reputation do you have?" Fang Yuan sneered. This Gu Yue Ye was somewhat famous, he was a retired Gu Master but had been brought back by the clan due to the wolf tide.
At his peak, he had reached Rank three.
However, due to injuries, his cultivation dropped to Rank two peak stage, and now, because of his old age, it had further diminished to Rank two upper stage.
Although his cultivation was on par with Fang Yuan's, his fighting strength couldn't compare to the latter's.
Gu Yue Ye's face turned ashen.
He had long heard of the eccentric loner Fang Yuan— a young man with a vicious and stubborn temper, arrogant and dismissive of others. He had mentally prepared himself before coming here, but he still underestimated Fang Yuan.
He had tried to rely on his reputation, but this usually effective tactic had no impact on Fang Yuan.
His face burned with shame, and his heart seethed with anger. He had lost all his dignity.
"This disrespectful son of a bitch!" He cursed inwardly, but didn't leave.
He needed the vitality leaves!
As an experienced man, he understood deeply how crucial the vitality leaves were. At times, a single vitality leaf could make the difference between life and death.
With age came a shrinking of courage.
When he was young, he was passionate and easily excited. He wanted to protect the clanspeople, change the world, and become a great hero! Back then, he had the resolve to face death as a mere return home!
But now, in his old age, he was more level-headed. He had seen and reflected on many aspects of life over the years. Especially after losing several of his children, his heart had become colder.
Every organization requires sacrifices.
Resources are limited. While they are constantly produced, they are also consumed, and this cycle of addition and subtraction restricts the total amount.
Humans need food, clothing, and shelter to survive—these are resources. Gu Masters need Gu worms, primeval stones, and food to cultivate—these are also resources.
Becoming strong demands even more resources. But if no one is willing to sacrifice, where will the resources come from?
He would rather compromise others than sacrifice his own benefits!
Protecting, honor, family love, dreams, and hot blood are all noble reasons for sacrifice.
There are no organizations that don't encourage self-sacrifice. However, the higher-ups never speak of this openly. Instead, they talk about 'protecting, honor, family love, dreams, hot blood, happiness,' and so on, offering various material benefits.
But those material benefits are meaningless once you're dead. What can a dead 'great hero' enjoy?
Look at Gu Yue Qing Shu.
He 'blissfully' died, buried in the earth, his name carved on a gravestone, while his spirit continues to influence future 'heroes.'
Jiang Ya glanced at the grim-faced Gu Yue Ye, secretly feeling pleased inside.
This old man had insisted on forcing Jiang Ya to bring him here. With only Rank one cultivation and being a junior, Jiang Ya had no choice but to bow to Gu Yue Ye and comply. But now, after being humiliated, Jiang Ya couldn't help but envy Fang Yuan's free-spirited nature.
Gu Yue Ye wanted to give Fang Yuan a few tight slaps, to lecture this arrogant junior. But for the vitality leaves, he had to control himself, "Junior Fang Yuan, you can't say that. You are still young, you don't know the importance of human relationships, there will come a time when you need to beg others. Just think, in future when you come to ask me for a favour and I treat you like this, how would you feel?"
"Bullshit human relationships!" Fang Yuan sneered inwardly.
The so-called unity was merely a result of individual weakness.
Human relationships were important on Earth, where there was little difference in personal strength. But in this world, where cultivation defined power, things were entirely different.
Human relationships were just a byproduct of strength—if one was strong, their relationships would naturally flourish.
Those who prioritize relationships clearly have something to gain from others.
As for those who don't need relationships—if one is powerful enough, they can take whatever they want, give it away, or die, without needing anyone's connections.
These were the thoughts of the demonic path, and naturally, Fang Yuan would never voice them publicly.
But since he had been disturbed in this way, Fang Yuan decided to go along with this business.
Thus, he said, "It's not that I can't sell it either. One vitality leaf for sixty-eight primeval stones. How many do you want?"
"Huh!" Gu Yue Ye outside the door was shocked by this price, quickly saying, "Junior Fang Yuan, this price is too expensive!"
Fang Yuan snorted, "Then don't buy it. Among the resources provided by the clan, there are also vitality leaves, you can exchange it with merit points."
Gu Yue Ye laughed bitterly, "How would I not know that, but these vitality leaves are all sold to those with relationships, the medicine hall clan elder Gu Yue Yao Ji has complete control over it, how can I interfere? Junior Fang Yuan, sell me a favour, I will definitely repay you. From what I see, sixty primeval stones is a just price."
"I do not anticipate people's repayment, you have wasted enough of my time. Seventy primeval stones, if you don't want to buy it, leave." Fang Yuan responded.
Gu Yue Ye was furiously stomping, "Junior Fang Yuan, how can you do business like this?"
Fang Yuan snickered, "Times are different, it is seventy-two primeval stones now, every sentence you say wastes some of my time, and when I feel unhappy I will raise the price, I hope you can make the right decisions."
Hearing this, Gu Yue Ye's face became furious; he wanted to say something, but every time he opened his mouth, no words came out.
His hagged face was green and red, and Jiang Ya who was beside him saw this and cheered internally.
Finally, he gritted his teeth, saying, "Okay, I'll buy it, I need five vitality leaves."
"You can hand the primeval stones to Jiang Ya. As for the vitality leaves, collect them from him three days later." Fang Yuan said.
This was domineering; trading goods and money was the most fundamental form of fairness.
Yet, Gu Yue Ye still handed over the money, giving several bags to Jiang Ya right there.
His hands trembled slightly, for this was all his hard-earned savings, accumulated through years of careful scrimping, and now it was all taken by a sharp merchant!
In the end, he walked out of the bamboo building, filled with a lingering sense of anger and resentment.
"Lord Fang Yuan, what you did was really cool revenge! But I'm afraid you have completely offended Gu Yue Ye. This old man, when he was young he always took revenge on people, he would not let go of this easily." Outside, Jiang Ya said carefully.
"Let him be, an old man relying on his seniority, he is bound to get eliminated by the clan." Fang Yuan opened the door, and Jiang Ya handed him the bags.
"Every round of the wolf tide in the past, those old Gu Masters who come out to fight, how many can survive? Let's not say five vitality leaves, even if we give this Gu Yue Ye fifty pieces, he might not make it out alive." Fang Yuan stood at the door, laughing coldly.
When Jiang Ya heard that tone, his heart chilled.
He could sense an aura from Fang Yuan, one filled with coldness and frost, like the harsh northern winds that made it impossible for him to lift his head.
Fang Yuan looked at Jiang Ya, his eyes dark and black, continuing, "From now on, other than the arranged timings, you cannot look for me! If you break my rules, be prepared to face the consequences. Letting you sell the vitality leaves for me, is on account of your brother. But respect is given by others, and thrown away by ownself. Think over your own actions."
Jiang Ya heard Fang Yuan's lecture, not daring to speak. Thinking of Gu Yue Ye's sad state, sweat poured from his forehead.
"Also, from now on, raise the price of the vitality leaves to seventy primeval stones." Fang Yuan said again.
"Seventy?!" Jiang Ya was shocked as he gulped, his eyes shining, as if he can see an endless supply of primeval stones.
But he was also rather afraid, asking meekly, "Lord Fang Yuan, raising prices like this, will it cause others to think that we are growing a fortune through the misfortune? Would we have the suspicion of taking advantage of the clan's state? If we do this, we might incur public outrage."
"Public outrage? Hmph, what can they do, do what I order, don't talk crap. If someone finds trouble, tell them the vitality leaves are sold by me." Fang Yuan snorted.
"Yes, yes, yes." Jiang Ya nodded furiously, Fang Yuan's words were what he wanted to hear, he was going to do this as well.