Bamboo Forest under the moon, a little pearl snow
About three hundred years ago, a genius emerged within the Gu Yue clan.
He was extraordinarily talented, reaching the level of a Rank Five Gu Master while still young, with the potential to go even further. His fame spread throughout Qing Mao Mountain, and he was entrusted with high hopes and responsibilities by his clan members.
He was the most celebrated Fourth Clan Leader in the history of the Gu Yue clan.
Unfortunately, in order to protect his clan, the Fourth Clan Leader fought against the demonic Rank Five Gu Master known as Hua Jiu Xing Zhe. Although he defeated Hua Jiu Xing Zhe after an intense battle, forcing the demonic master to kneel and beg for mercy, he was ultimately caught off guard and treacherously attacked.
In his fury, the Fourth Clan Leader killed Hua Jiu Xing Zhe, but he himself was mortally wounded and died young.
This tragic story has been passed down through the generations and is widely known among the Gu Yue clan members.
However, Fang Yuan knew better than to fully believe the tale, as it had a significant flaw.
In his previous life, about a month later, a heartbroken and drunken Gu Master, lying outside the village, inadvertently attracted a wine insect with the scent of spilled wine.
The Gu Master followed the wine insect to an underground cave where he discovered the remains of Hua Jiu Xing Zhe, along with his belongings.
The Gu Master quickly reported this to the clan, causing a huge sensation.
After the excitement subsided, he benefited greatly from the discovery, obtaining the wine insect, enhancing his cultivation, and even having his ex-girlfriend chase after him again. This event made him a prominent figure in the village for a while.
Stories often change over time, and it's normal for them to become distorted. But Fang Yuan suspected that there was more to this story than met the eye.
"As I explored and analyzed these days, I found something unusual about this event." Fang Yuan thought as he walked through the bamboo forest around the village at night, reviewing all the known clues.
"Putting myself in the shoes of that Gu Master, if I had discovered Hua Jiu Xing Zhe's legacy, why wouldn't I keep it for myself instead of reporting it to the clan? Don't talk about clan honor—people have greed. What made that Gu Master willingly give up all the benefits and report the discovery to the clan leaders?"
The truth is often hidden in the fog of history, and despite his best efforts, Fang Yuan couldn't figure it out.
There were too few clues, and the ones he had were mixed with truth and falsehood, making them unreliable.
Fang Yuan also reflected on his own situation: "No matter what, after buying this jar of Green Bamboo Wine, I only have two pieces of primeval stones left. If I can't find the legacy, it will be troublesome. Today's action is a gamble!"
He was short of primeval stones for refining Gu worms, so it was better to invest in the wine to increase his chances of success.
Others might save up their primeval stones methodically, but for Fang Yuan, that approach was too inefficient. He preferred taking risks for potential big gains.
People in the demonic path always like to take risks.
At this moment, the night was growing deeper, with a crescent moon hanging like a bow in the sky.
Floating clouds covered the moonlight, as if a thin veil was draped over the crescent moon.
After three days and nights of continuous heavy rain, the mountain air was now clean and fresh, ideal for the spread of the wine's fragrance. This was one of Fang Yuan's sources of confidence tonight.
"This is the only area left unexplored." He stopped at a bamboo forest.
The past seven days of exploration had not been fruitless; at least they proved that Hua Jiu Xing Zhe hadn't died in those other places.
This was Fang Yuan's second reason for confidence.
In the bamboo forest, the fragrant grass and white flowers flourished, and the Green Spear Bamboo stood tall and straight like jade rods.
Fang Yuan broke the seal of the small wine jar, and a rich aroma immediately wafted out.
Green Bamboo Wine was considered the best wine in Gu Yue Village. This was the third reason for Fang Yuan's confidence tonight.
"With these three major reasons accumulated, if I'm to succeed, it must be tonight!" Fang Yuan encouraged himself as he tilted the jar, pouring a small stream of Green Bamboo Wine onto a stone.
If the hunters saw this, they would surely be distressed. The wine was worth two pieces of primeval stones, after all...
But Fang Yuan remained indifferent.
The fragrant wine quickly spread, with the gentle night breeze carrying the scent throughout the bamboo forest.
Fang Yuan stood still, inhaling the aroma, but nothing happened after a while.
He only heard a nightingale-like bird singing nearby, its voice like a string of silver bells.
He remained calm, not surprised, and moved a few hundred meters away to the next spot.
There, he repeated the process, pouring out some wine and waiting for a moment.
He did this several times, moving to different locations and pouring out the wine, until the Green Bamboo Wine in the jar was almost gone.
"This is the last time." Fang Yuan sighed, turning the jar upside down and pouring out the remaining wine.
The wine splashed onto the grass, causing the flowers to droop slightly under the weight of the dew.
Fang Yuan stood still, holding on to a sliver of hope, scanning the surroundings.
It was late at night.
A thick cloud cover obscured the moonlight, shrouding the bamboo forest in darkness.
The area was silent, with the Green Spear Bamboo standing alone, casting straight shadows in Fang Yuan's eyes.
He stood quietly, listening to his own clear breathing, feeling the last bit of hope in his heart slowly drain away.
"Did I fail?" he murmured, "Even with three major advantages tonight, I still couldn't find the wine insect. This means future chances of success will be even lower. I only have two pieces of primeval stones left and still need to refine the Moonlight Gu. I can't take any more risks."
Risk-taking often doesn't yield ideal results, but if it does, the rewards are significant.
Fang Yuan liked taking risks, but he wasn't a gambler desperate to recoup losses.
He had his limits and knew his resources.
Now, his 500 years of life experience told him it was time to stop.
Sometimes, life is like this, with a goal that seems so close yet remains elusive despite all efforts. It keeps one awake at night, filled with longing.
"This is the helplessness of life, but also its charm." Fang Yuan smiled bitterly and shook his head, turning to leave.
At that moment, a breeze blew, gently parting the floating clouds in the night sky.
The clouds drifted away, revealing the crescent moon.
The moon hung in the sky like a white jade cup, pouring down clear, water-like moonlight.
The moonlight illuminated the Green Spear Bamboo forest, the rocks, the streams, and Fang Yuan.
Dressed in simple clothes, Fang Yuan's young face appeared even paler under the gentle touch of the moonlight.
The darkness seemed to recede instantly, replaced by a landscape covered in silvery frost.
Perhaps influenced by the moonlight, the nightingales began to sing again, this time in chorus, scattered throughout the bamboo forest.
Meanwhile, a species of red-glowing cricket that lived in the mountains also began its nocturnal song.
These insects, active only at night, now emerged in groups, their bodies glowing like red agate.
To Fang Yuan, they looked like a stream of red water, hopping through the grassy flowers and into the moonlit bamboo forest.
The bamboo forest, with its green, jade-like Green Spear Bamboo, shimmered with a jade-like luster in the moonlight.
The natural beauty of the scene took Fang Yuan by surprise, making him feel like he was in a fairyland.
He had been about to leave, but now, almost instinctively, he turned to take one last look.
The wildflower-covered grass where he had poured the Green Bamboo Wine was still swaying in the breeze, but remained empty.
Fang Yuan smiled wryly and looked away.
However, in that brief moment, he noticed a white shadow.
The white shadow clung to a nearby Green Spear Bamboo, resembling a round pearl hanging in the moonlight.
Fang Yuan's pupils dilated, his body trembling slightly, his heart pounding faster and faster.
It was the wine insect!