The Rules of the Gu World

Jiang Yiming asked again, "Then how can someone avoid falling onto the evil path and becoming an Evil Gu Master?"

"Everyone's will is different. Generally speaking, the stronger a person's will, the less likely they are to fall onto the evil path. The Gu World has a rule: once a child turns ten, an elder of the village must test their will. Only those with firm wills can raise Gu afterward. Those without firm wills aren't qualified to raise Gu. If they do so without permission and are discovered, they'll be put to death."

"I started practicing martial arts at six. I only started raising Gu after my will was tested at ten. I've been raising Gu for eight years now."

At this point, Yulan suddenly looked at Jiang Yiming. "You shouldn't be from the Gu World. How did you learn to raise Gu without anyone guiding you?"

That question was difficult for Jiang Yiming to answer.

Seeing that he said nothing, Yulan pressed him. "Since you're not from the Gu World, you probably haven't had your will tested, have you? According to the rules of the Gu World, I should take you back for a test. If your will isn't strong enough, all your Gu worms must be destroyed, and your qi sea crippled. That's another rule of the Gu World!"

"Hey, hey, hey! How did we get so far off track? Let's not talk about that. Can't we just clean up the battlefield?"

Jiang Yiming had wanted to find out a little about the Gu World, but he hadn't expected the flames to reach him. He hurriedly changed the subject.

Yulan didn't pursue the question of his background and continued gathering the fragments of the earthworm Gu.

After the eight-tailed earthworm was blown to pieces, the Yellow Springs water on its body had disappeared, making it less troublesome to clean up.

Just as they were about to finish gathering the fragments, a small wooden box on the ground caught Jiang Yiming's attention. It had probably been blasted out just now.

He picked it up and looked inside. There was a black stone in it.

"This thing's pitch-black. Is it obsidian?" Jiang Yiming picked up the stone, but couldn't make anything of it.

A receipt was pinned beneath the box. He picked it up and saw that it said 2.5 million.

"2.5 million. Why is that number such a coincidence?"

After thinking for a moment, he finally remembered!

"Earlier, Lu Yan asked Tu Ming for something. Tu Ming said he'd spent 2.5 million to win it at an auction."

"Could this be what Lu Yan wanted? But it just looks like an ordinary stone."

At that moment, Yulan finished clearing the fragments from the ground. She hefted the bag and said with satisfaction, "Once I bring this back, the others will definitely see me in a new light. What are you holding?"

She had noticed what Jiang Yiming was holding.

"I'm not too sure either." Jiang Yiming handed her the stone and asked her to take a look.

Yulan studied it for a moment, then ventured, "This stone might be a rune stone."

"A rune stone? What's that?" Jiang Yiming had never even heard of one.

"They're runes developed by some Gu cultivators. Since runes are difficult to preserve, they usually hide them in stones. To retrieve a rune, you just need to break open the stone with Gu Essence."

"Are rune stones powerful?" Jiang Yiming asked.

Yulan shook her head. "It's hard to say. Whether a rune stone is powerful depends on the rune inside. Some rune stones look magnificent, but the runes inside are quite ordinary. Others look ordinary, but the runes inside are very powerful. It's a bit of a gamble."

"I see."

"You can keep this rune stone. I'll just take the fragments of the Gu worm." Yulan shook the bag in her hand.

Jiang Yiming nodded and accepted the rune stone.

There was nothing wrong with dividing things up this way.

But Jiang Yiming hadn't forgotten that he had risked coming here to earn his wages.

Now Yulan wasn't saying a word about his wages. What was that supposed to mean?

Maybe she just forgot. I need to remind her!

With that thought, Jiang Yiming caught up with her and deliberately said with a smile, "Yulan, things here are pretty much settled, right?"

"Mm." Yulan nodded.

"To be honest, when you messaged me earlier and asked me to come, I hesitated a little at first. I was afraid it would be too dangerous and I wouldn't be able to handle it."

"Mm. It was pretty dangerous this time."

"But I came anyway," Jiang Yiming said with a smile. "Don't get me wrong. I didn't come for the million you offered. I just wanted to help, and I was afraid you'd be in danger."

He had deliberately brought up the reward, hoping Yulan would get the hint.

But Yulan didn't understand at all. Instead, she turned to him and said, "I didn't misunderstand. I knew from the start that you were a good person and definitely didn't come for the money. After all, none of us Gu Masters are short of money."

"..."

Jiang Yiming was speechless. How could anyone be so dense? Was she really going to force him to come straight to the point and talk about money?

Besides, who said Gu Masters weren't short of money? He, Jiang Yiming, was desperately short of it.

Seeing that beating around the bush wasn't working, Jiang Yiming had no choice but to lay his cards on the table. "Well... actually, the money doesn't matter. What matters is being happy. If taking your money would make you happy, then I'd definitely take it. If it would make you unhappy, then I won't."

"What do you mean, happy or unhappy? Money wouldn't make me happy at all, much less make me unhappy." Yulan looked puzzled. "Would taking the money make you happy?"

"Yes!"

Jiang Yiming didn't dare put on airs. Before she had even finished speaking, he rushed to answer.

He couldn't help it. He really was far too short of that money.

"All right. I don't have any money on me. Once I get back, I'll bring it to you."

Yulan spoke casually, as though she really didn't care about money.

Having received her answer, Jiang Yiming nodded repeatedly, his mood instantly improving.

Perhaps he and Yulan came from different worlds and had completely different ideas about money.