On the second floor of the Muddy Liquid Mountain, several dozen Gu Masters had gathered, selling various refinement materials and Gu worm food. Fang Tian did not need to purchase any food for now, as he was not certain whether he would successfully obtain the Gu worms he had bid on. Buying food without securing the corresponding Gu would be nothing but a waste of primeval stones.
Thus, he passed the second floor and ascended to the third floor, where free exchange took place. More than ten Gu Masters had gathered there, most of them Rank One, though two or three were Rank Three.
"Shadow Slip Gu! A fine Rank Two Gu! If you're interested, come closer and ask!"
A Rank Two Gu Master was calling out to nearby Gu Masters, attempting to sell his Gu worm. Fang Tian's interest was piqued, and he quickly approached.
"It looks familiar. Is it from the Hundred Beast King—Shadow Prowling Cat?"
The Gu Master's eyes lit up with joy and hope when he saw Fang Tian's interest, and he replied in detail.
"You're knowledgeable, brother. Yes, it's from the Hundred Beast King, the Shadow Prowling Cat. I obtained it after killing it during a mission with my group. I found it useless to me, so I wanted to sell or exchange it for something more practical. Besides, its food is costly—it feeds on the tendons of Shadow Cats. Going out to hunt them is extremely troublesome."
Is this Gu Master truly foolish for lowering his own product's value like this, or is he simply desperate to get rid of it?
"So what do you want in exchange? You know my limits as a mere independent Gu Master. Be considerate, brother, and I'll be considerate as well."
"Hmm… we'll see."
The Gu Master hesitated before naming a price that made Fang Tian frown, though he still attempted to bargain.
"You're asking for seven hundred primeval stones, or a Rank Two healing Gu that's easy to feed. Don't you think that's a bit excessive? Since when were Gu worms of this quality available everywhere?"
"Then pay seven hundred primeval stones—or get lost!"
Anger surged within the Gu Master when Fang Tian criticized him, and he tried to drive him away. But Fang Tian remained steady and offered a compromise.
"How about this—I have a healing Gu called Living Rust Gu. It's decent at healing and easy to feed—it consumes fifty grams of rust every three days. However, since it's only Rank One, I'll add two hundred primeval stones on top."
The Gu Master hesitated for a while but ultimately accepted after some thought. Fang Tian's offer was indeed reasonable. Even he had begun to suspect his original demand was somewhat excessive. Rather than lose the opportunity to obtain a Gu that suited his needs, he accepted the deal despite feeling a slight loss.
As for Fang Tian, he was pleased. Living Rust Gu had been of no use to him. By exchanging it for something he needed, he had maximized its value and even saved one hundred primeval stones in the process. He successfully obtained Shadow Slip Gu.
This Gu belonged to the shadow path. Though it had several flaws, it also possessed notable advantages. Shadow Slip Gu could only be used in environments containing shadows—meaning it was unusable in open areas at noon when the sun erased all shade. However, at night, its effectiveness reached its peak.
It was extremely fast and silent at night, making it ideal for surprise attacks.
Fang Tian soon found another Gu Master selling a Rank One Gu that caught his interest—Air Vibration Gu, a detection-type Gu.
From what Fang Tian understood, this Gu relied on sound waves—a concept foreign to this world but familiar from Earth. The Gu worm captured sound waves and transmitted them to the user, allowing them to sense any movement producing sound within the vicinity. Its detection range was average for a Rank One Gu, and he acquired it at a low price.
He exchanged Water Arrow Gu for it and received fifty primeval stones as compensation after paying the transaction fee.
Fang Tian's purchases of Gu worms like vegetables attracted the attention of greedy Gu Masters. Even those with ill intentions watched him from afar. Fang Tian could sense their gazes, which troubled him slightly. Thus, he decided to ascend to the fourth floor, where Rank Two Gu worms were sold.
That was his true purpose for coming here.
A Rank Two Gu Master could not display true strength without Rank Two Gu worms. Though he possessed several Rank One Gu worms, he could not rely on them. At best, they could be used to exhaust an opponent's primeval essence and cause annoyance.
Of course, if they were wood path Gu worms, that would be another story. With his vital Gu, Wood Origin Gu, he could enhance other wood path Gu worms. Combined with his extreme physique, Rank One Gu worms could reach strength comparable to Rank Two—or even slightly surpass it.
Elsewhere, within the walls of Yan Zu clan, the verbal confrontation between a Rank Three and Rank Four Gu Master was reaching its climax.
"You scoundrel Qing Ming! Even after I told you my ancestor's secret and allowed you into our clan's forbidden area, you still dare to demand more from me?!"
Yan Zu clan leader Yan Zu Li Bing argued with Bao Qing Ming, who appeared as an elderly man with a back straight as a spear and a long beard reaching his chest. Despite his age, youthful vitality still radiated from him. Qing Ming smiled and spoke as though scolding a misbehaving child.
"Allowed me? Oh, it seems you misunderstand. I am the one allowing your pitiful clan to live. You are merely a clan rushing toward the abyss, clinging to a dry branch named Qing Ming. If you persist in this arrogance, your grip on that branch will slowly slip—and both you and your clan will fall into the abyss."
Yan Zu Li Bing's face trembled at the threat. Unable to restrain himself, he shouted:
"Do you think I cannot uproot that branch entirely?! But as you said, we both benefit from each other. This is the last time I allow you to explore the clan's forbidden zone. I swear in my ancestor's name—if you attempt any tricks, you will regret it deeply!"
Qing Ming smiled and praised him lightly.
"There's no need for this performance. No one is near enough to hear you. But surely… you can grant me a little more time in exchange for this?"
He produced a Gu worm resembling a golden sea urchin, its body covered in sharp spikes. Its Rank Four aura was unmistakable. Even Yan Zu Li Bing hesitated.
"What is this? I've never seen such a Gu before."
"Ah, this is Golden Hedgehog Gu. It's a one-time-use Gu, but so precious that its value surpasses even some Rank Five Gu worms."
Yan Zu Li Bing collapsed weakly into his chair. His gaze wandered across the dim clan meeting hall as he sighed. Each time he thought of the Gu, his resistance weakened.
The Hedgehog Gu series was extremely precious and thus not widely known. It possessed a flaw—but one negligible compared to its benefit.
"Green Hedgehog Gu—Rank One. Red Hedgehog Gu—Rank Two. Silver Hedgehog Gu—Rank Three. Golden Hedgehog Gu—Rank Four. Purple Hedgehog Gu—Rank Five."
When Silver Hedgehog Gu was used, it was completely consumed, granting the Gu Master thirty percent of Rank Three light silver primeval essence. Similarly, Golden Hedgehog Gu granted thirty percent light gold primeval essence. The same applied throughout the series.
Li Bing's internal struggle did not last long. After five minutes, he surrendered.
"This world is merciless. Since I'm already entangled with you, we might as well deepen our cooperation."
"Hahaha, Li Bing, you're quite amusing—and ambitious as well. I like people like you."
Yan Zu Li Bing laughed bitterly alongside Qing Ming. But inside, he was boiling with rage. He wanted to kill Bao Qing Ming on the spot—yet the latter's Rank Four aura restrained him.
"Seed Swallow Gu… Rank Two Gu. Upon activation, it releases a small, extremely fast swallow carrying a red seed in its beak. When it collides with the enemy, it causes a massive and destructive explosion. Initial estimate: 780 primeval stones."
Fang Tian found a Gu that suited him extremely well. It likely belonged to the wood path—and even if it did not, he would still buy it.
He immediately placed a bid of 980 primeval stones, hoping to eliminate competition. The current price stood at 880 primeval stones. By raising it by one hundred, Fang Tian had already crushed more than half his competitors.
"This is a solid offensive Gu. Perhaps I also need something for detection. Something is strange—the caravan possesses an unusually large number of Gu worms from diverse paths. Rank Two Gu worms are somewhat rare, yet there are over seventy here. Even seven Rank Three Gu worms are displayed on the upper floor."
Fang Tian was slightly tempted to purchase a Rank Three Gu worm but shook his head after consideration.
If he acquired all the Gu worms he needed, he would retain roughly fourteen thousand primeval stones—or less. Not to mention he would need to purchase food to sustain them long-term, which would rapidly drain his funds. In the end, he might be left with no more than six thousand primeval stones—a respectable amount if he intended to buy a Rank Three Gu.
But he would not.
He preferred to invest his resources in Gu worms more beneficial to him. Unless an exceptionally appealing Rank Three Gu appeared, the burden of feeding such a Gu would be too heavy.
In any case, Fang Tian wandered the fourth floor for a while, bidding on several Gu worms that interested him. He did not expect to win them all—perhaps two or three would suffice.
He eventually left the Muddy Liquid Mountain and roamed the markets, gathering extensive information and intriguing rumors.
The next morning, he met Jin Long, who possessed more detailed insider information.