"He didn't use gu worms until the very end!"
"We didn't even get to see a Rank 2 gu..."
"Pfft- I don't even think he has a Rank 2 gu..."
"As expected as someone being nurtured by the clan head!"
"Is that true- is the clan head really nurturing him?"
"I heard so, and it makes sense, right?"
Fang Yuan heard all of this, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
The combined inheritance of two Venerables?
Just that alone was worth more than anything he had obtained in his last 500 years, or that which he knew of which he could obtain in this life.
Venerables were existences that defied all logic and common sense. A true Venerable inheritance was so valuable that let alone Rank 8 Gu Masters, even super forces like the Heavenly Court would contend for! Not only would it have secrets regarding cultivation that many would kill for, it was likely that there were several Immortal Gu that could be find in such an inheritance. Most Immortals lacked even a single Immortal Gu, but Venerables were titans among Gu Masters and would not lack several Immortal Gu. It would actually be quite surprising if one of their true inheritances did not have a single Rank 8 Immortal Gu.
Fang Yuan had never heard of Genesis Lotus Immortal Venerable and Paradise Earth Immortal Venerable working together, but it was not something unthinkable. Genesis Lotus was a righteous path Venerable and Paradise Earth would have no issues working with anyone.
It made Fang Yuan want to immediately use all of his Red Steel Relic Gu to advance to Rank 3 as soon as he could to obtain this inheritance!
With some effort, he calmed his inner heart down. Yes, this was valuable, but the location it was in could be dangerous. He would have to prepare before diving in. It could even be in one of the other four regions for all he knew. Not to mention it might be a minor inheritance and not a true inheritance- but even then, it would be well worth checking out.
Also, there was a chance this was a trap set up by the system. Unlikely given what he had seen so far, but he could not afford to be careless.
Graduated as class president!
Rank 3 Doctor Gu (x 1) added to inventory!
That should take care of healing, he thought, though he still needed to find something for offense. He considered 'permanently borrowing' Yu Sai's Moonlight Gu- it would not be hard using the Spring Autumn Cicada, but decided against it. The system would likely not agree to it, and it was not worth the trouble it would cause. Stealing a gu worm was not like stealing one or two primeval stones, it was a serious offense!
'Incredible,' Mo Yan thought, even though she was a bit sour that her brother had been knocked out cold. He was being healed, but this had already caused her to develop negative feelings towards Fang Yuan. It would be a hard issue to get over on their wedding night given how many times Fang Yuan had thrashes Mo Bei.
'Outstanding, but just how strong is he?' Chi Shan thought. It was clear to him that Fang Yuan was very strong- but as to how much, it was not apparent as Fang Yuan had not displayed his full abilities in this fight. Did his strength match his own? That was hard to believe. Chi Chan had the strength of an adult even when he had been young- he had beaten a mortal servant to death in a fit of rage when he had been only ten. However, this world had no shortage of geniuses. Anyone who thought themselves to have crested the peak of this world was just waiting to be shot down by someone at an even higher peak. Only the Venerables themselves could be said to truly have reached the peak of their fields, shining like nine suns in the sky above the gu world.
"Very good, very good," the clan head said, coming out of his tent. Mo Bei had already been healed and had come to, but no one was looking down on him. It was clear that with Fang Yuan's skills and higher cultivation level, it was a big feat to have even lasted this long. "Fang Yuan, as promised, here is your reward." He handed Fang Yuan 100 primeval stones, something that seemed paltry compared to what Fang Yuan could potentially get by getting to Rank 3. "As another reward, you can be the first one to choose which team to join."
"Fang Yuan, I would welcome you into our fold," Qing Shu said. His other team members seemed to be less than thrilled to be babysitting Fang Yuan, but given that he reflected the clan head's faction, it was clear to Fang Yuan which place he should go.
He could cause chaos by choosing something else, but with the thought of a Venerable Inheritance in mind, everything else seemed insignificant to him. He saw no use in causing ripples or issues unnecessarily. "Thank you for taking care of this junior."
With that, Fang Yuan had officially become a member of Qing Shu's team!
Fang Zheng watched the applause being showered on Fang Yuan bitterly. If he had retained his A-grade talent, that could have been him!
There was no use thinking such thoughts, but he couldn't help but concern himself with them. After all, right now, the only person who cared for him was Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan had even handed him thirty primeval stones immediately after the festivities were over- which shocked Fang Zheng. "Brother, this is all your earnings, isn't it? Why give this much to me...?"
"Don't worry at all, I want to make sure that you're taken care of," Fang Yuan said, as the two brothers walked away from the academy. Fang Yuan gently had his arm over Fang Zheng's shoulders, and the two of them looked like the best of friends to any outsider. "You didn't manage to find a group to work with, did you?"
"No," Fang Zheng said dejectedly. "I couldn't find a group... I don't know how I'll complete the mission I'll get in the future..."
"It's simple then..." Fang Yuan said. "Fail the mission. They can't compel you to go on a mission."
"Fail? Won't my evaluation be poor then..."
"So what if it is poor?"
"But... what about earning primeval stones to support myself...? And if I don't do good, I'll only get trash missions in the future?"
"Earning? Why would you need to earn? Did our aunt and uncle worry about earning? Have you forgotten about our parent's inheritance?"
"Oh that... right, but I'm not able to contest for it..."
"So what? Do you think that I would let you starve?" Fang Yuan asked. "It's just like old times now, you and I against the whole world, remember that Fang Zheng. With me by your side, there's no need to worry."
"Ah..." Fang Zheng was nearly moved to tears. He had doubted initially whether Fang Yuan had truly gotten over the rift that had been formed between them, and it seemed that he had.
"As for a place to stay, we can stay in the dorm for a few more weeks before we have to leave," Fang Yuan said. "But, I already happen to know of a place we can stay."
Fang Yuan led Fang Zheng to an old apartment complex that he knew of.
"Brother... is this really the best we can do?" Fang Zheng asked. It looked quite rundown.
"Don't worry, this is only temporary until we can get our hands on that inheritance. Eventually, I'll become a Rank 3 elder too- but what's needed now is to save our primeval stones as much as possible for important things like cultivating. Use those stones I gave you, try to get to Rank 1 Upper Stage as soon as you can. I'll pay the rent entirely by myself. When it comes to breaking through to Rank 2, don't think about it too much- once I'm an elder, I'll help you break through to that," Fang Yuan reassured Fang Zheng.
This was where Fang Yuan had stayed in during his past life, so he knew it was free from traps and that his aunt and uncle couldn't scheme against him here. As for living conditions- it was serviceable enough.
To Fang Zheng, who had lost all hope of getting anywhere in this world after having his cultivation crippled, his brother's words were like a burst of fresh rain in the desert - pacifying him and calming his heart.