Gu Daoist Master Chapter 4

The sunlight was radiating as the sun had risen.

Sharp-bladed sunlight easily pierced through the faint mountain fog.

More than a hundred young men at the age of fifteen were gathering in front of the clan head's pavilion.

The clan head's pavilion was located in the central of the mountain stronghold. It was a five-stories upswept eaves building that was being strictly guarded. In front of the pavilion was a large square. The memorial tablets of the ancestors of Gu Yue's clan was being worshiped inside the pavilion. Each clan's head had also started their daily lives in here. Every time there was a ceremony or unexpected major event, they would gather up the elder's group to talk and discuss. This was the center of authority of the entire mountain's stronghold.

"Good, everyone is on time. The Sacrificial Ceremony today will be a major turning point in your life. Without any further ado, everyone follow me." The one in charge of this was the Elder of the Schoolhouse. Although his hair and beard were all white, the healthy Elder still led the group of youth entering the Clan Head's Pavilion.

However, they had not gone upstairs, but rather through a lobby door, going downwards.

Following the well-made stone stairs, they were gradually entering an underground karst cave.

The group of young men constantly exclaimed in awe at the cave. The underground cave was magnificent with stalact.i.tes emitting red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, the seven rainbow colors. When those light shone upon the youths' face, the neon colors were like illuminating their faces.

Fang Yuan was in the center of the crowd. He was silently observing, then inaudibly thought, "Hundreds of years ago, the Gu Yue Clan has traveled from the central to the southern borderline. Here, they decided to station at the Green Thatch Mountain. It's because they were satisfied with a spiritual spring inside of this s.p.a.cious underground cave. This spiritual spring could produce a large amount of Primeval Stone, and also be considered as the foundations of the Ancient Moon Clan."

Going forward for about a hundred steps, the surrounding was getting even more secluded. only the sound of water could vaguely be heard.

Turning at one point, an over three zhang's[1] a big spring appeared in front of everyone.

The light reflecting from those stalact.i.tes had totally faded away here.

Nevertheless, in the darkness, the water within the spring was emitting faint lagoon light, and looked like the Milky Way during the night.

The water was flowing here from a dark place deep inside the cave. The water was transparent as though one could clearly see the fishes swimming, the water plants as well as sand and stones at the bottom.

On the other side of the spring, was a sea of flowers.

This was the Moon Orchid that the Ancient Moon Clan had deliberately grown. With fetal like crescent moon, the flower displayed a lucid and elegant baby blue color. Stems that were like jade and sparkling buds, it was as though the pearls were refracting gentle halos when being shone upon by the light.

With a glance, the riverside sea of flowers was like an enormous layer of bluish green carpet in a pitch black surrounding. It was decorated with countless pearls.

"The Moon Orchid is the most common food for many Gu insects. This field of flowers can be said as the biggest nutrient medium of the clan." Fang Yuan was well aware of this point.

"So beautiful."

"Truly stunning."

The group of youths widened their eyes which were beaming with light, excitedly yet nervously.

"Alright, listen as I call out your name. Whoever is called, pa.s.s this river to the other bank. If you can head forward, then head forward, the further you go the better that it is. You all heard me?" The Elder finished his instructions.

"Understood." One after another young man replied. In fact, before coming here, they had all heard this from their family members or their seniors. They clearly understood that the further that they went, the better the apt.i.tude score they would get. The achievements they might gain in the future would be even more significant.

"Gu Yue Chen Bo." The Elder held the list then called the first man.

The river was wide yet shallow. The water level could only reach the young man's knees. Chen Bo's countenance was solemn; he stepped onto the sea of flower on the other side of the riverbank.

He immediately felt an invisible pressure, as though there was an invisible wall in front, stopping him from moving forward.

As he was struggling with making his footsteps, a cl.u.s.ter of light spots suddenly appeared on the sea of flowers below his feet. The luminous spots were diluted, displaying a pure white color.

The light spots gathered around Chen Bu, then intruded his body.

Chen Bo felt that the pressure had significantly decreased in a blink. The invisible wall suddenly became much softer.

He gritted his teeth trying to go forward, firmly barging ahead. After three steps, the pressure was constantly increasing. Just like the initially invisible wall, he could not advance for the slightest bit.

Looking at this, the Elder could only sigh. He was noting down on one side. On the other side, he said, "Gu Yue Chen Bo, three steps, zero apt.i.tudes for Gu Master. Next, Gu Yue Zao Xia."

Chen Bo face turned pale all of a sudden. He clenched his teeth, penetrated the river and returned to his spot. Without any apt.i.tude, he could only live as a mortal. His status within the family would also be the lowest.

His body was shaking. Such tremendous strike was no different from throttling the hopes of his entire life.

Several people looked at him with commiserative in their eyes. But most of them were focusing on the second one who now had stepped on the opposite riverbank.

It was a pity that this young man could only go four steps forward. He was the same, no apt.i.tude.

Not everyone could be qualified for cultivating. In general, among ten people, it would be good enough if only five of them could cultivate. In the Ancient Moon Clan, this ratio was slightly higher; there would have been around six people.

This was because of the ancestors of the Ancient Moon Clan. Also he was the clan's first head. He was a legendary supreme master; his blood vessel had sustained hidden genetical powers due to his cultivation process. The common apt.i.tude of those that belonged to the Ancient Moon clan was slightly better thanks to the blood vessel that they carried from him.

Two zero apt.i.tude disciples in a row had made the elders' countenance who were focusing in the dark all twisted. Even the experienced and knowledgeable clan's head could not help but slightly furrow his brows.

Right then, the schoolhouse's elder called out the third name, "Gu Yue Mo Bei."

"Here." The yelling resounded from among the crowd from a young hatchet-faced youth who was wearing sackcloth clothing.

His figure was st.u.r.dy. Compared to those at the same age, he was much more muscular, displaying a beam of fierce aura.

Quickly getting through the river, he stepped onto the sh.o.r.e.

Ten steps, twenty steps, thirty steps, faint light was still entering his body bit by bit.

Straight to thirty-six steps, he finally stopped.

The group of youths on the other riverbank could only widen their eyes and mouths seeing such scenery. The Elder happily yelled, "Good, Gu Yue Mo Bei, grade B apt.i.tude. Come, let's me see your Primeval Sea."

Gu Yue Mo Bei returned to the schoolhouse Elder's side. The Elder raised his hand, holding the young man's shoulder, and closed his eyes, attentively measuring. After that, he retrieved his hand, nodded then noting down, "Gu Yue Mo Bei, your Primeval Sea is six by six, and can be vigorously nourished."

The apt.i.tude was ranked into A, B, C, and D grade.

A grade D apt.i.tude could become an experienced Gu Master after three years of training, becoming the pillar of the clan.

C graded apt.i.tude could become the center of the clan, achieving to level two Gu Master after being nourished for two years.

A young man with a B graded apt.i.tude would be much cherished. Usually, they would be trained to become the Elders of the clan. With six to seven years of skill, a level three Gu Master was achievable.

About grade A apt.i.tude, only one would have already brought much luck to the entire clan. They would have been carefully taken care of. With tremendous resources, they could become a level four Gu Master in just around ten years. By then, they could be qualified to compete for the position of the clan's head!

In other words, this Gu Yue Mo Bei only needed to grow up. He would definitely become an elder of the Ancient Moon clan later on. No wonder why the schoolhouse's Elder, could not be able to have held his laughter. Moreover, the group of elders who were focusing in the dark all sighed in relief. After, they sent a look of admiration to one specific Elder.

This Elder also had a hatchet face. This was Gu Yue Mo Bei's grandfather, Gu Yue Mo Chen. His face had soon been beaming with happiness. He provokingly glanced at the elder who was his opponent, "How is it, my grandson is not that bad right, Gu Yue Chi Lian?"

The Gu Yue Chi Lian elder's hair was covered with a scarlet red color. He snorted but had not answered. His countenance was twisted.

An hour later, half of the group of the young men had stepped on the sea of flowers. There were several grades of C's and D's. But, of course, more than half had zero apt.i.tude.

"Haizz, the blood vessel is getting diluted more and more. Also, there has not been any level four supreme masters appearing in our clan these past few years to enhance our blood vessel. The fourth generation clan's head is the only supreme master that had reached level five. But he has perished together with Hua Jiu the monk and did not leave behind any successors. The apt.i.tudes of the juniors in our Ancient Moon Clan are getting weaker and weaker." The clan's head deeply sighed.

Right at that time, the schoolhouse's elder yelled, "Gu Yue Chi Cheng."

Hearing the name, the elderly group immediately glanced over at Gu Yue Chi Lian; this was his grandson.

Gu Yue Chi Lian had a small figure. His face was full of pockmarks. He tightened his fist while sweat was pouring all over his face. He seemed particularly nervous.

He stepped onto the opposite riverbank. The luminous spots instantly gathered around him; he stopped after thirty-six steps.

"Another grade B!" The schoolhouse's elder loudly shouted.

The group of youths abruptly stood up, one after another looking at Gu Yue Chi Cheng with admiration in their eyes.

"Hahaha, thirty-six steps, thirty-six steps!" Gu Yue Chi Lian yelled, glared at Gu Yue Mo Chen so as to demonstrate his strength.

This time Gu Yue Mo Chen's face was paled.

"Gu Yue Chi Cheng. . . . . ." Standing in the crowd, Feng Yuan stroked his chin while deeply emerged in his thoughts.

In his memory, Gu Yue Chi Cheng was caught cheating during the Scacrificial Ceremony. Thus, he had been strictly punished afterwards.

In fact, his apt.i.tude was only at grade C. But his grandfather Gu Yue Chi Lian had faked his results for him. That was why his grade B apt.i.tude had been a fraud.

This was really bad. Fang Yuan could think have thought of ten other methods that could be even more perfect than that of Gu Yue Chi Cheng's. If one's apt.i.tude was a B grade or A grade, that one would be vigorously trained by the clan.

But currently, it had only been a short period since Fang Yuan was reborn. With his situation right now, it would be hard to use any scheme recklessly.

Secondly, even if he succeeded in cheating, he would not be able to hide it later on when they had started to cultivate. He would have exposed himself.

Gu Yue Chi Cheng was different from him. His grandfather was Gu Yue Chi Lian, one of the two who held the most authoritative power in the clan. He could hide it for his grandson.

"Gu Yue Chi Lian had also opposed with Gu Yue Mo Chen. These two elders were the two biggest forces that could have the most influence towards the clan. To oppress his opponent, he needed his grandson to have possessed an outstanding apt.i.tude. It is because of his grandfather's backup that Gu Yue Chi Cheng could temporarily hide his scheme. In my memory, if it was not for that unexpected event, no one could have figured it out."

Starlight was beaming in Fang Yuan's eyes. He was thinking about how to gain the most benefits out of his plan.

Exposing him right now would have resulted in a simple compliment from the clan. But at the same time, he would have offended the high authority of Gu Yue Chi Lian. This definitely shouldn't have happened.

During such a short period, he also could not blackmail him. With his low capacity, he would then overturn the situation, unintentionally inviting trouble in.

While still emerged in his thoughts, he suddenly heard his name coming from the schoolhouse's elder, "Gu Yue Fang Yuan!"

[1] Zhang is a Chinese unit of measurement. 1 zhang = 3.33m