It was still dawn as the sun hadn't risen yet. The western sky had just started to turn pale. Darkness began to disappear while the fragrance of the night still lingered in the air.
Seemed like there wasn't a single person on the street, but soft footsteps suddenly resounded from out of nowhere.
The morning in the mountain was always quite chilly. Gu Yue Fang Zheng couldn't feel the coldness, but his heart was already filled with surging emotion.
With a flush red visage, he strode towards the schoolhouse.
"These days, I have been diligently cultivating. Using two Primeval Stones, and one sleepless night, I have finally succeeded in refining that Moonlight Gu. With my grade A apt.i.tude, and such hard efforts, no one could be faster than me, no one! Father, Mother, I said so, that I wouldn't disappoint you guys."
Fang Zheng immediately felt a wave of joy and pride when thinking about uncle and aunt's gratified countenances if they heard such good news from himself.
"Just wait, the clan members that used to look down on me, also gege. From here onward, I will let you guys look at me - Gu Yue Fang Zheng, with different eyes!"
The more he thought about it, the more he became excited. He couldn't help but tighten his fist; his footstep was getting livelier.
He stepped into the schoolhouse.
The schoolhouse's bodyguard looked at him weirdly; they asked, "What, Gu Yue Fang Yuan, why do you return?"
"What? My gege is here?" As Fang Zheng heard this, a beam of astonishment and doubt couldn't help but flash on his face.
"Let's ignore that first!" He basically didn't expect that Fang Yuan would have s.n.a.t.c.hed first place away from him. He swung his head, with an arrogant tone, cupped his hands then spoke, "Two dage's, I am not Gu Yue Fang Yuan, I am Gu Yue Fang Zheng. I have succeeded in refining my Vitality Gu. I have come here this time to receive the reward for coming in first."
"You are Gu Yue Fang Zheng? You two brothers look too identical, no wonder the Elder and everyone else kept mistaking you two." The bodyguard standing on the left side widened his eyes and yelled while the one on the right shook his head to say,
"You're late by a single step. At yesterday's midnight, your gege Gu Yue Fang Yuan had already met the honorable Elder, confirming him as having first place."
"My gege!" Fang Zheng opened his eyes wide, cried out, "Wait, you said he came in first?"
How could this be! His gege was only a grade C apt.i.tude, isn't he?
Came in first, are you kidding me?!
"It's true. How can we joke about something like this?" Looking at Fang Zheng's disbelief, the bodyguard felt unpleasant.
"The schoolhouse's Elder has confirmed this. After that, he will release a list and publicly announce it. What, your gege didn't tell you this?" Another bodyguard immediately added.
Fang Zheng was dumbstruck standing in front of the door.
The fact that was just dropped on his head was much different from what he had expected. He couldn't even understand in the end what had happened.
In Fang Zheng's heart, there was also a couple of formidable opponents. Among them, there were two people who held the biggest threats to him. One was Gu Yue Mo Bei, and the other was Gu Yue Chi Cheng.
These two were grade B apt.i.tudes. Their backup were the two biggest lines in the clan; their grandfather were two Elders in power, possessing an abundance of resources.
If it were those two that had s.n.a.t.c.hed away his first position, then Fang Zheng had already been mentally prepared. Although he would feel lost, he could accept it.
However, right now, the one that had come in first was not Gu Yue Mo Bei nor Gu Yue Chi Cheng. Moreover, it was not even one of his imaginary enemies.
It was Gu Yue Fang Yuan, his gege!
That grade C person!
That dispirited person after the Sacrificial Ceremony!
That person who came to cla.s.s just to sleep it away!
That person who would stay dead drunk and didn't return home at night!
That person who hara.s.sed Shen Cui, who slapped him twice, who had taken all of his Primeval Stones!
That person was still suppressing him, like a shadow entrenching his heart!
"How can it be? This is impossible!" At this moment, Fang Zheng shrieked in his heart, "I have tried so hard, while he is drinking all day. And this resulted in him getting first place, where was the justice in this? Why? Why?!"
The sun had ascended in the west. With the chirping sound of birdies, the thick air of spring was sweeping by the Green Thatch Mountain.
Gu Yue Fang Zheng was covered with the warm sunlight. He tardily lowered his head, gritted his teeth, as he was looking at his lonesome shadow on the ground.
The surging emotion inside his heart had soon been left with nothing like a balloon leaking air. Instead, it was doubt, discontented, indissoluble, unwilling, fear, and all kinds of complicated feelings.
As time went by; the sun was getting higher and higher.
A new notice was put up on the wall of the schoolhouse. There were only two names being written on the notice. In succession, they were Fang Yuan, and Fang Zheng.
Following the appearance of this notice, news started to spread out.
Those young men who diligently cultivated after receiving their Gus were in a frenzy after hearing the news.
"How can it be!"
"I would believe it if Fang Zheng came in first. But Fang Yuan is just a grade C apt.i.tude, isn't he?"
"Is there a mistake? Grade A apt.i.tude Fang Zheng has lost to a grade C apt.i.tude Fang Yuan; this is a joke right?"
At The Mo Family House.
The vigorous and greenish aura had filled the small courtyard, with the scent of tea fluttered in the wind.
One of the Elders in power of the Ancient Moon clan, Gu Yue Mo Chen, was sitting on the table, looking at the spring scenery outside the window while casually drinking tea, "Mo Bei isn't refining Gu right now?"
The housekeeper standing beside him hurriedly replied, "After hearing the news about Fang Yuan, young master Mo Bei seems to receive a heavy blow, he doesn't feel like continue refining the Moonlight Gu. It's a pity; young master Mo Bei is only a line away from success. If Fang Zheng comes first, then it would be nothing, but it was that grade C apt.i.tude, Fang Yuan. It's hard to blame young master Mo Bei for losing his interest."
"Humph! You don't need to speak for him." Gu Yue Mo Chen coldly snorted. His visage was solemn, he spoke with his iron-like tone, "Every step of cultivating for a Gu Master is always tough. Such a small setback is what? That Fang Yuan is just a grade C apt.i.tude, getting first place is just based on luck. The Moonlight Gu he chose must have a weak willpower. That's why he could be that quick. If Mo Bei couldn't see through that and wasn't able to accept such small reverse, then how can he take charge of the Mo's family line in the future, how can he face the Chi family line? No one is allowed to convince him, let him think about that himself!"
"You're right, master." The housekeeper didn't dare to talk back.
At the same time. In the Chi family.
"Haizz, Gu Yue Fang Yuan..." The Elder Gu Yue Chi Lian deeply sighed. He furrowed his brows, thinking then waving his hand, "Servants, tell young master Chi Cheng to come here."
A short while later, Gu Yue Chi Cheng carried a lost expression, entering the room and bowing down, "Greetings grandfather."
"It seems like you have already known about the news." Gu Yue Chi Lian stared at his sole blood grandson. Using a gentle tone, he slowly spoke, "I asked you here, is to help you avoid being affected by such a thing. Refining Vitality Gu looks at two things. One is apt.i.tude; the other is the Gu."
"Fang Yuan is a grade C apt.i.tude. This time, he came in first. This means that the Moonlight Gu inside his hand has a much weaker willpower compared to the one you have. This is totally pure luck. Hence, grandson, you don't need to feel lost or dispirited. This is nothing worthy. He is a grade C apt.i.tude, like you yourself. However, he doesn't have such an abundance of resources like you do. His advancing path is also tougher compared to yours. Believe in grandpa; and you can quickly surpa.s.s him."
"Therefore, just forget this tiny matter. Fang Yuan will not be your opponent; he also isn't worthy of being your opponent. Your real opponent is the grade A apt.i.tude Fang Zheng, is Mo Bei of the Mo family. Do you understand?"
"I do, thanks to grandfather's words, I now understand this. Grandson will leave, and continue refining the Gu!" The lost expression on Gu Yue Chi Cheng's countenance had disappeared. Instead, it was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with fighting spirit.
"Good." Gu Yue Chi Lian Elder satisfactorily nodded, displaying his soft and gentle smile, "Good grandson. Although your apt.i.tude is just a grade C, don't worry, your grandpa will use all efforts to help you. Wait for grandpa to use a level three breath to prevent the willpower of the Moonlight Gu, helping you refine this Gu!"