Gu Zhen Ren, Reverend Insanity, Part 39

May was the transition between spring and summer.

The fragrance of flowers filled the air, and the great mountains were lush and green. The sun was beginning to show its warm side.

Under the clear blue sky, white clouds floated like cotton wadding.

On Qingmao Mountain, the green spear bamboo groves still stood as straight as spears, pointing toward the heavens. Wild grasses grew thickly everywhere, dotted with unknown wildflowers. With a gentle breeze, the grass undulated, and the thick scent of pollen and greenery rushed toward one's face.

On the mountainside were vast terraced fields, layer upon layer, step upon step. Tender green wheat seedlings had been planted, looking from afar like a sea of emerald green.

Many farmers were busy in the terraced fields. Some were clearing ditches and waterways to channel water; others had rolled up their trousers and stood in the fields, planting seedlings.

These people were naturally mortals with different surnames. The Guyue clan members did not engage in such lowly occupations.

*Jingle, jingle…*

The faint sound of camel bells came on the spring breeze.

The farmers straightened up and looked toward the foot of the mountain.

A caravan, like a colorful, long serpent, slowly emerged from the mountain path.

"It's the caravan!"

"Right, it's already May—the caravan should be arriving."

The adults understood. The children, however, immediately abandoned their water games and mud pies and ran skipping toward the caravan.

The Southern Border had a hundred thousand great mountains; Qingmao Mountain was but one of them. On each mountain perched mountain villages, where people lived in clans bound by blood relations.

Between the mountains were deep, secluded forests and steep, treacherous cliffs. The environment was complex, teeming with ferocious beasts and strange, bizarre Gu worms.

Mortals could hardly cross them. For an individual to traverse these obstacles, they would need at least third-turn Gu Master cultivation.

Thus, the economy was depressed, and trade was difficult. The main form of trade was the caravan.

Only by forming a large-scale caravan—a flock of Gu Masters traveling together—could they help one another, overcome the difficulties and dangers along the way, and travel from one mountain to another.

The arrival of the caravan was like a pot of boiling water suddenly poured into the peaceful, quiet Qingmao Mountain.

"In previous years, it came in April. This year, it's arrived in May. But at least it's here." When the innkeeper heard this news, he breathed a great sigh of relief. The inn's business was extremely slow in other months. Only when the caravan came could he earn enough to sustain the year's profits.

He also had some Green Bamboo Wine in stock to sell to the caravan.

Not only the inn, but the taverns would also see their business pick up.

The caravan filed into Guyue Mountain Village. Leading the way was a Treasure Qi Yellow Bronze Toad. This toad was 2.5 meters tall, its entire body orange-yellow. Its broad back was covered with wart-like bumps, resembling the large copper rivets on ancient city gates.

On the back of the Treasure Qi Yellow Bronze Toad, a large pile of goods was secured with thick hemp ropes. At first glance, it looked like the toad was carrying a huge bundle.

A middle-aged man with a round, pockmarked, pancake-like face and a fat, round belly sat cross-legged on the toad's head. His eyes were narrowed into slits as he smiled, cupping his hands in greeting to the surrounding villagers of Guyue.

This man's surname was Jia, given name Fu, meaning "Jia Wealth." He had fourth-turn cultivation and was the leader of this caravan.

The toad hopped forward slightly. Jia Fu sat on its head, steady as a rock. When it hopped, his height was level with the second-floor windows. Even when it landed, he was taller than the first floor of the bamboo buildings.

The originally wide streets now seemed somewhat narrow. The Treasure Qi Yellow Bronze Toad was like a monster, intruding among the rows of bamboo buildings.

Behind the toad came a large, fat worm. Its eyes were like stained glass windows, brightly colored and variegated. It was fifteen meters long, shaped like a silkworm, but its surface was covered with a thick layer of black glazed leather armor. On the armor were piles of goods, tied with hemp ropes wrapped around them. In the gaps between the goods sat Gu Masters—some old, some young.

There were also mortals, all robust martial artists, following the Black-Skin Fat Beetle on foot.

Behind the fat beetle came camel-chickens with colorful plumage, fluffy mountain spiders, winged snakes with two feathered wings, and so on. But these were few; the majority were still toads.

These toads were similar to the Treasure Qi Yellow Bronze Toad, only smaller—about the size of oxen or horses. Carrying goods and people, they hopped along with bulging bellies.

The caravan wound its way deeper into the village.

All along the way, children watched with wide eyes, crying out, marveling, and cheering.

Second-floor windows opened one after another. The mountain folk observed at close range. Some eyes flickered with caution; others waved in warm welcome.

"Brother Jia, you're a bit late this year. The journey must have been hard." Guyue Bo, as clan leader, personally welcomed the caravan leader.

Jia Fu was a fourth-turn Gu Master. To have a third-turn elder receive him would undoubtedly be a slight and a show of disrespect.

Jia Fu cupped his hands and sighed: "The journey was not smooth this year. We ran into a swarm of Blood Bats on the way and lost many good men. Then at the Precipice Mountain, we encountered mountain fog—we truly dared not go on. That delayed us quite a bit. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Brother Guyue."

His speech was very courteous.

The Guyue Mountain Village needed the caravan to trade every year, and the caravan needed to do business peacefully to make a profit.

"Hehehe, it's fine as long as you came. Please—the clan has prepared wine and food. Let me host a welcome banquet for you." Guyue Bo extended his hand in invitation.

"You are too kind, Clan Leader, far too kind." Jia Fu feigned being flattered.

The caravan had arrived at the border of Qingmao Mountain in the morning, and by noon, it had set up camp around the village. By dusk, a vast temporary marketplace had formed around the mountain village. Tall tents in red, blue, yellow, and green were erected, with countless small stalls wedged in between.

Night fell, but this place was brightly lit.

A steady stream of people poured in from the village. Some were mortals, some were Gu Masters. Children hopped and skipped; even the adults' faces showed a festive, joyful expression.

Fang Yuan walked in with the flow of people, heading in alone.

The crowd was bustling. Clusters of people gathered around stalls or kept flowing in and out of tents.

The sound of hawking rose and fell around him.

"Come, take a look! Fine-grade Blue Ocean Cloud Tea bricks—one sip of this tea, and you'll feel like a carefree immortal! Even if you don't drink it, feeding it to tea Gu is cost-effective. Only five primeval stones a brick!"

"Brute Force Longhorn Gu—when activated, it can increase a Gu Master's strength by that of one ox! If you pass it by, don't miss it!"

"Heart-Knowing Grass—top-grade Heart-Knowing Grass, everyone, look at this quality—as fresh as if just picked! Two primeval stones a catty—what a bargain…"

Fang Yuan, hearing this, paused slightly and followed the sound.

He saw a camel-chicken pulling a two-wheeled cart. On the cart was a pile of pinkish-green grass. Each blade was about a meter long, very slender—only about a fingernail's width on average. The tips of some blades bore red, heart-shaped buds.

Heart-Knowing Grass was one of the supplementary food materials for Gu worms. Its value lay in its ability to be paired with other foods to feed Gu.

For example, Fang Yuan needed to feed his Moonlight Gu two Moon Orchid petals per meal. If he added one Heart-Knowing Grass stalk, the Moonlight Gu would be full after eating just one petal.

Heart-Knowing Grass was only two primeval stones a catty. Moon Orchid petals cost one stone for ten petals. A quick calculation showed that feeding Gu with added Heart-Knowing Grass was more economical.

"Half a month ago, I killed Gao Wan and was fined thirty primeval stones for using my Moonlight Gu on school grounds. But later, the Mo family compensated me thirty stones, so no loss. Over these days, I've robbed twice, totaling one hundred and eighteen primeval stones. But recently, I've been continuously consuming the mid-level primeval essence I refined to warm the walls of my aperture—consuming three stones every day. Add to that the cost of feeding my Gu, my living expenses, and the stones I've been putting into buying Green Bamboo Wine… I now have ninety-eight stones left."

Since Fang Yuan had killed someone, his brutal, cold-hearted image had deeply impressed the students. For a time, no one dared challenge him. This made his robberies much easier. Only a very few dared to resist him each time.

Fang Yuan calculated in his mind, then shifted his gaze and continued walking deeper into the temporary marketplace.

A crowd was gathered around the Heart-Knowing Grass stall. They were all Gu Masters or students, holding primeval stones and scrambling to buy.

It wasn't that Fang Yuan lacked the stones to buy the grass—it was that he lacked time.

*If I remember correctly, that Scabby Earth Toad is in that shop. In my previous life, a Gu Master gambled on it the very first night and made a big profit. I need to hurry—I can't lose the big prize by focusing on the small.*