Thirteenth Section: Bamboo Grove Under the Moon, A Speck of Pearl Snow

About three hundred years ago, a genius emerged within the Gu Yue clan.

He was exceptionally talented, and even as a youth, he had already cultivated to the level of a Rank 5 Gu Master, with the potential to advance further. His fame spread throughout Qing Mao Mountain, and he enjoyed boundless glory, carrying the hopes and heavy responsibilities of his clan members.

He was none other than the most celebrated fourth-generation clan leader in Gu Yue clan history.

Unfortunately, in order to protect his clan members, the fourth-generation clan leader fought against the demonic path cultivator Flower Wine Wanderer, who was also a Rank 5 Gu Master. Although after a fierce battle, he defeated Flower Wine Wanderer and made the demon beg for mercy, kneeling on the ground.

Ultimately, the fourth-generation clan leader was caught off guard by a treacherous sneak attack from Flower Wine Wanderer.

Enraged, the fourth-generation clan leader killed Flower Wine Wanderer, but he himself was mortally wounded and died prematurely.

This tragic story has been passed down to this day, widely recounted by the Gu Yue clan members.

However, Fang Yuan understood that this story could not be entirely believed. It had a significant flaw.

About a month after his previous life, a Gu Master, drunk from a heartbreak, lay sprawled outside the village. The aroma of the overflowing wine unexpectedly attracted a Wine Bug.

The Gu Master chased the Wine Bug and discovered Flower Wine Wanderer's remains in an underground cave, along with Flower Wine Wanderer's personal belongings.

The Gu Master rushed back to the clan to report the matter, causing a massive stir.

After the commotion gradually subsided, he also benefited from it, obtaining the Wine Bug and improving his cultivation. His ex-girlfriend, who had dumped him, now pursued him instead. This event made him a temporary celebrity within the village.

As stories are passed down from generation to generation, it's normal for them to become distorted. But Fang Yuan suspected that while the story of the Gu Master discovering the hidden treasure in his memory was extremely realistic and believable, there might be other truths concealed within it.

"I didn't notice it at first, but these past few days, while exploring and analyzing, I've discovered that this incident is quite peculiar." As the night deepened, Fang Yuan walked through the bamboo forest surrounding the village, reviewing and consolidating all the known clues in his mind.

"Putting myself in that Gu Master's shoes, if I had discovered Flower Wine Wanderer's hidden treasure, why would I report it to the clan instead of keeping it all for myself? Don't talk to me about family honor; people are driven by greed. What compelled that Gu Master to go against his own desires, willingly giving up all personal gain to report this discovery to the clan elders?"

The truth always remained hidden in the mists of history. Fang Yuan pondered deeply but found no answers.

After all, there were too few clues. The only two clues were themselves a mixture of truth and falsehood, not to be fully trusted.

Fang Yuan couldn't help but think of his own situation: "Regardless of anything else, after buying this jar of Green Bamboo Wine, I only have two primeval stones left. If I don't find the hidden treasure today, I'll be in trouble. This move is a desperate gamble!"

However, he was already short on primeval stones for refining Gu. It was better to invest in this wine to increase the success rate of this endeavor.

If it were anyone else, most would diligently save up primeval stones.

But for Fang Yuan, this approach was too inefficient. He preferred to take risks and gamble.

After all, those who walked the demonic path always enjoyed taking risks.

At this moment.

The night grew deeper, and the spring moon was like a bow.

Floating clouds obscured the moonlight, as if draping a faint veil over the crescent moon.

Because of the continuous rain that had lasted for three days and three nights, the turbid air in the mountains had been completely washed away, leaving only the purest freshness.

This fresh air, pure as a blank sheet of paper, was more conducive to the spread of the wine's aroma. This was one of the reasons for Fang Yuan's confidence tonight.

"This is the only area left to explore." Reaching a bamboo forest, he stopped.

The exploration over the past seven days had not been without results. At the very least, it proved that Flower Wine Wanderer had not died in those locations.

This was the second reason for Fang Yuan's confidence.

In the bamboo forest, lush grass grew, white flowers bloomed abundantly, and the green bamboo stood straight, like pillars of jade.

Fang Yuan uncorked the small wine jar, and a rich aroma of wine immediately wafted out.

Green Bamboo Wine could be considered the finest wine in Gu Yue village. This was the third reason for Fang Yuan's confidence tonight.

"With these three reasons combined, if success is to be achieved, it must be tonight!" Fang Yuan silently encouraged himself as he slowly tilted the wine jar, pouring a small stream of Green Bamboo Wine onto a rock.

If those hunters had seen this scene, they would have been heartbroken. This wine was worth a full two primeval stones...

But Fang Yuan remained unmoved.

The mellow wine aroma quickly spread. In the night, a gentle breeze blew, carrying the subtle fragrance and permeating the entire bamboo forest.

Fang Yuan stood in place, sniffing the wine aroma, and waited for a moment, but there was no movement.

He could only hear a bird, like a nightingale, chirping not far away, its voice like a string of silver bells.

His gaze was calm, and he was not surprised. He moved his feet, turned, and went to the next spot a few hundred meters away.

At this spot, he repeated the process, pouring out another stream of wine and waiting in place for a moment.

He repeated this several times, moving to different locations and pouring the wine. The Green Bamboo Wine in the jar was almost gone.

"This is the last time." Fang Yuan sighed inwardly, completely inverting the wine jar in his hand, bottom facing up, pouring out all the remaining wine.

The wine spilled onto the grass, causing the green blades to sway. The wild flowers were dampened by the wine dew and drooped slightly.

Fang Yuan stood in place, with his last shred of hope, gazing at his surroundings.

By now, the night was deep.

A thick mass of clouds obscured the moonlight here.

Dark shadows lay like a curtain, covering this bamboo forest.

Silence reigned all around. The green bamboo stalks stood solitary, casting straight, vertical silhouettes in Fang Yuan's eyes.

He stood quietly in place, listening to his own distinct breathing, then feeling the last bit of hope in his chest gradually drain away, leaving him empty.

"So it failed again," he murmured to himself. "Tonight, all three advantages were stacked, and it still didn't work. I couldn't find any trace of the Wine Bug. This means the success rate will be even lower from now on. I only have two primeval stones left, and I still need to refine the Moonlight Gu. I can't take any more risks."

The results of taking risks were often unsatisfactory. But if the outcome was ideal, the rewards were bound to be considerable.

Fang Yuan liked to take risks, but he wasn't a gambler. He wasn't the type to lose until he was blinded by rage, desperate to win it all back.

He had his own bottom line, and he knew his capital.

Now, five hundred years of life experience told him it was time to stop.

Sometimes, life was like this. There was often a goal, so beautiful and full of temptation. It seemed within reach, yet after all the effort, it remained elusive, making one toss and turn, yearning for it day and night.

"This is the helplessness of life, and also its charm," Fang Yuan shook his head with a bitter smile and turned to leave.

Just then.

A gust of wind blew, like a gentle arm, softly parting the floating clouds in the night sky.

The clouds drifted leisurely, revealing the hidden crescent moon.

The crescent moon, curved and hanging in the sky like a white jade cup, poured down moonlight as clear as water.

The moonlight cascaded into the Qing Mao bamboo forest, onto the rocks, into the streams and ravines, and onto Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan, dressed in simple clothes, his young face appearing even fairer under the gentle touch of the moonlight.

Darkness seemed to recede in an instant, replaced by a ground covered in frost-like brilliance.

As if inspired by the moonlight, the silent nightingales began to sing again. This time, it wasn't just one, but several, scattered throughout the bamboo forest, responding to each other.

At the same time, the Dragon Pill Crickets, insects that lived in the mountains and were active under the moonlight, began their rustling song of life.

They only came out at night, and their bodies emitted a red glow. Now, they hopped out in swarms, each one flashing with a ruby-like brilliance.

At first glance, Fang Yuan saw this group of Dragon Pill Crickets as a leaping crimson river, treading on the grass and wildflowers, bounding through the moonlit bamboo forest.

The bamboo forest was as clear and bright as if filled with water. The jade-green Qing Mao bamboo, under the moonlight, shimmered with a lustrous, jade-like glow.

With the willows dark and the flowers bright, nature at this moment revealed its beautiful and radiant splendor to Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan unconsciously stopped, feeling as if he were in an immortal realm.

He had been about to turn and leave, but now, instinctively, he turned to look back.

The wild grass and flowers, where the Green Bamboo Wine had been poured, trembled slightly in the wind, still empty.

Fang Yuan gave a self-mocking laugh and withdrew his gaze.

However.

Just as he looked up, he saw a speck of white, like snow.

This white speck was stuck to a Qing Mao bamboo pole not far away, and in the moonlight, it looked like a perfectly round pearl hanging there.

Fang Yuan's pupils suddenly widened, his body trembled slightly, and his heart pounded. It then began to beat faster and faster.

It was the Wine Bug!