The Red Steel Relic Gu had been sold, with many people wondering who it was who had bought it.
As for Fang Yuan, his cultivation skyrocketed to Rank 2 Upper Stage in the coming days. If anyone doubted him, he intended to say that Fang Zheng had found a Red Steel Relic Gu while gambling.
Very few people would buy that excuse, which is why he had left a trail of false bread crumbs in visiting the merchant caravan's leader. Some people would make a connection where there was none and assume that Fang Yuan had struck some deal with him in secret and obtained an extra Red Steel Relic Gu from him that way the same way that Yao Ji had gotten a Liquor Worm.
Since no one was entirely certain who had bought the Red Steel Relic Gu, this was necessary. What if whoever was investigating was the one who had bought both of them?
In this way, Fang Yuan was taking advantage of the general 'fog of war' that existed even amongst clan members.
The reason that he had not as of yet used the second one he had to reach Rank 2 Peak Stage was that he wanted to get that 2% extra from refining the Four Flavors Liquor Worm before making that jump.
However, he had run into the first real roadblock in his journey until now.
Who would've thought that despite being the owner of a wine tavern, he wouldn't be able to get his hands on a certain flavor of wine?
The system was surprisingly unhelpful in that regard- not giving him any bottles of wine as part of daily quests even now.
Unbeknownst to him, at that very moment he was worried about that, there was a commotion going on in the elder's hall.
"Quiet! Quiet!" the clan head said, asking everyone to clamor down.
This was an emergency meeting, so naturally everyone was wondering what it was about.
"There is grave news for our clan," the clan head said. "It appears that a tributary of the Huang Long river has led to a River Swallowing Toad to appear near our village."
The River Swallowing Toad was a Rank 5 gu worm- while many gu worms were insects, much like the name suggested, the River Swallowing Toad was a toad though it was the size of an elephant. It was called such as its food was an entire small river. However, not only could it swallow rivers, it could also spit them back out, meaning that it could very easily drown the entire village if it got agitated.
Wild gu worms were a danger that one might encounter while traveling, though it appeared that fate had brought this problem right in front of their doorstep.
Chi Lian spoke up. "Then the situation is quite grave- if we don't deal with this, who knows if those with malicious intentions won't go and provoke the River Swallowing Toad on purpose?"
"Actually, I think that they already might be planning on doing so," an elder spoke up. "I was going to keep this little piece of information under wraps until I was able to delve into it further- but I think that this only confirms what suspicions I had."
"Oh? What is it? Do tell!"
"It turns out that the Bai and Xiong clans are plotting something sinister," the elder said. "They have secretly been concocting alchemical solutions which they have been dumping in the nearby ponds and rivers with malicious intent- they're doing it to make the frogs gay! That's right, they're mixing in things into the water which are creating gay frogs!"
"Those Xiong and Bai clan bastards- they don't even spare the frogs!"
"What if they succeed in turning the River Swallowing Toad gay too?"
"Wait, all of you calm down," the clan head said, and the clamor died. "I have a few questions... how is it that they came across these chemicals that ah... make the frogs gay? And how do they stand to benefit from doing so? And the River Swallowing Toad is not an actual toad, but a gu worm, so... I don't see how these things are related."
There was a period of silence.
"While I don't have any good answers for that, I do not like the Bai or Xiong clans- so the rumor must be true!"
"Maybe they're trying to transform Gu Yue village into a village of femboys! Both of them have been envious of our position as mountain overlords, and they're resorting to these kinds of underhanded methods to undermine us!"
"Yes! They must be up to no good!"
"Okay, all of you keep quiet and let me talk," the clan head said, already feeling a headache coming on, and not from the problem of the River Swallowing Toad. "There is a way that we can deal with the River Swallowing Toad..."
Animals had different ways of displaying dominance. Male birds would make fancy homes to compete for mates, while others would dance for the same, and peacocks strutted around with their plumage. Wild bison would butt heads- in that same way, various gu worms also had ways of competing with each other.
There was a way to deal with the River Swallowing Toad, but it would need to involve the greatest caution. If it was provoked, they would truly be courting death.
The River Swallowing Toad respected strength- right now it was lying near the village like a giant boulder for all purposes. But if someone managed to shift it using their own strength, it would acknowledge that person as being its equal and hop off without causing a scene.
Of course, one could only use one's strength in this kind of contest. If it sensed even the faintest aura of a gu worm, it would sense that there was unfair play going on and not acknowledge that person. Even worse, it might even get agitated and go on a rampage. In the same vein, multiple people could not go to try to move it- it had to be a single person.
Chi Shan was well renowned for his strength, and so the decision was made to send him to deal with the River Swallowing Toad.
Unfortunately, he returned later that day with an ashen expression on his face. "I'm sorry, it appears that even my strength is inadequate to move it."
The elders who had been hopeful up to this point now began to panic. If Chi Shan could not deal with this- then who could?
"It looks like we need to bring in the Xiong clan to help us with this," one of the elders opined. The Xiong clan was well famed for their physical strength and might have someone who could rival Chi Shan. However, this would mean that the Gu Yue clan would be indebted to them, and would also lower their reputation among the three villages.
"Clan elders, this junior would like to give his opinion on this matter," Chi Shan said.
"Go ahead- speak, Chi Shan. You have some other idea in your mind, it seems?" the clan head asked.
"Yes, there is one person in Gu Yue village whose strength rivals or might even exceed mine," Chi Shan said. "His name is Gu Yue Fang Yuan."
"Fang Yuan?" the clan head naturally already know who that was. "I was not aware that he possessed much physical strength..."
"Clan head, not only has he gotten training from an excellent martial artist- his uncle, he also possesses great strength. Someone bought a Black Boar Gu from the merchant caravan and from the feats I have heard from Fang Yuan, I do not doubt that he has great strength," Chi Shan said.
As a potential rival, Chi Shan naturally kept his ear to the ground when it came to Fang Yuan's exploits.
"If that is the case, call upon Fang Yuan at once!" the clan head said.