After some time on the road, they arrived at the open grounds where the merchant caravan had settled.
Rows of stalls lined the area, and the air buzzed with chatter and trade.
Fang Yuan's gaze drifted across the scene until it settled on a familiar spot — the place where the Relic Gu had been auctioned yesterday.
He turned slightly toward Jiaying and Fang Zheng.
"You two go ahead," he said evenly.
"I'll take a look around the other stalls."
Jiaying hesitated, a faint crease forming between her brows. But after a moment, she simply nodded and led Fang Zheng away.
Watching her leave, Fang Yuan's expression remained unreadable. He adjusted his sleeves and walked toward the wooden treehouse at the front.
The auction area was quiet now.
A simple notice hung at the entrance — the Relic Gu auction had ended.
Fang Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. Just as he was considering seeking out the female Gu Master who had overseen the bidding yesterday, footsteps approached from the side.
A middle-aged Gu Master stopped before him, bowing slightly.
"Sir," the man said with respect, "please, this way."
Fang Yuan's gaze flickered, calm and deep as still water.
Without a word, he followed.
Inside the treehouse, the air was faintly scented with old wood and ink.
According to caravan practice, a Rank One Gu worm was displayed for half a day after a bid was made.
If no one showed interest, it would remain until a buyer appeared. Rank Two Gu worms were displayed for a day, Rank Three for two.
At first, such a system seemed strange. But in truth, it was efficient — time itself became a measure of worth.
The middle-aged attendant who approached Fang Yuan still remembered him from the previous day.
After all, it wasn't every day that a child — one who wasn't even a Gu Master — made such bold bids.
Still, business was business.
No matter one's age or cultivation, primeval stones spoke louder than anything else.
The man led Fang Yuan into a quiet room, polished and dimly lit.
He bowed slightly and began, "Sir, yesterday you placed a bid of six thousand five hundred primeval stones for the Red Steel Relic Gu, and another two thousand five hundred for the Green Copper Relic Gu."
He paused, his tone courteous but edged with sly amusement.
"That brings the total to nine thousand primeval stones. Of course… if you don't intend to purchase them, we'll have to pass them to the next highest bidder."
His smile lingered, thin and knowing — testing the waters.
Fang Yuan's face remained calm, his eyes deep as an ancient well. The faintest curve of his lips appeared, the kind that could mean anything — amusement, contempt, or both.
Without a word, he reached into his robe and drew out a small storage pouch.
"Here," he said, his tone flat and steady. "Nine thousand primeval stones."
The middle-aged man froze mid-smile. His casual attitude vanished at once.
"…Understood, Sir," he said respectfully.
Taking the pouch, he quickly checked its contents.
A moment later, he clapped his hands twice. Two maids appeared, each carrying a lacquered tray.
Upon them rested two spherical Gu — one glowing faintly red, the other shimmering green.
Fang Yuan accepted them with smooth, deliberate movements. His eyes met the man's — calm, cold, and deep.
"That concludes our business," he said quietly.
He slipped both Relic Gu into his robe and turned to leave.
The merchant watched him go, an uneasy flicker in his gaze. "Is he… really a child?" he muttered under his breath.
From the moment Fang Yuan entered the room, the man had been testing him, releasing a thin wave of his cultivation aura to gauge his reaction. For any ordinary person, that pressure from primeval essence would have been unbearable — enough to make one tremble or even kneel.
But Fang Yuan had walked through it as though strolling through a morning breeze, not a single muscle tense, not a breath disturbed.
Now, as the boy's back disappeared beyond the doorway, the merchant could only sigh. He had originally planned to give the Red Steel Relic Gu to one of his acquaintances within the clan, but that notion now seemed foolish.
There was no point in scheming against someone who could not be measured.
Some people, he realized, simply could not be read — or provoked.
....
Fang Yuan walked away from the treehouse, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
'Suppress me with just cultivation base?'
'Hmph.'
In his past life, he had been the Great Love Immortal Venerable. Mere surface-level aura of primeval essence meant nothing to him.
If the middle-aged man had deployed a Gu, perhaps there would have been a chance.
But relying solely on personal cultivation? That would be foolish.
Gu Masters were not immortals.
Only true Gu Immortals could bend others with their immortal essence alone.
And this man?
He is nothing but a Rank One, Middle Stage Gu Master — not even Rank Two.
And he doesn't fear him at all.
All these years of refining his body, building his strength, it was for moments like this — to face fools who overestimated themselves.
Had the man dared any foolish move, Fang Yuan could have shown him just how insignificant he truly was.
But the transaction was complete, and he had received what he came for.
Disrespect meant nothing in this world.
If every disrespect sparked a battle, the world would be nothing but fire and ash.
With deliberate calm, he strolled toward the other stalls.
After a while, he rejoined Fang Zheng and Jiaying, blending into the bustling caravan.
Jiaying had secured the defensive Gu worm she desired, and after another hour of wandering the stalls, the three began their journey home.