Toad Caravan

May marked the transition from spring to summer.

The fragrance of flowers filled the air, and the great mountains were lush and green. The sunlight gradually began to reveal its blazing side.

Beneath the azure clear sky, white clouds drifted like tufts of cotton.

On Qing Mao Mountain, the Qing Mao bamboo forest still stood straight as spears, pointing toward the heavens. Wild grass grew madly everywhere, dotted with unknown wildflowers amid the thickets. When the breeze blew, the grass rose and fell, and the rich scent of pollen and fresh grass rushed straight at one's face.

Along the mountainside lay vast stretches of terraced fields. Layer upon layer, step upon step, tender green wheat shoots had been planted there. From afar, they looked like a sea of fresh emerald green.

Quite a few farmers were busy in the terraces. Some cleared the ditches and waterways to divert water, while others rolled up their trouser legs and stood in the fields planting rice seedlings.

These people were naturally outsider mortal clansmen. The Gu Yue clansmen did not concern themselves with such lowly work.

Jingle, jingle...

The faint sound of camel bells drifted through the spring breeze.

The farmers all straightened up and turned toward the foot of the mountain.

They saw a caravan slowly poking its head out from the mountain road like a brilliantly colored long worm.

"It's a caravan!"

"That's right. It's already May; the caravan should have arrived."

The adults understood at once. The mischievous children directly abandoned both their water play and the mud in their hands, then skipped and hopped toward the caravan.

Southern Border had the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, and Qing Mao Mountain was merely one of them. Every mountain housed one village after another, with blood ties and kinship binding the villages together.

Between the mountains lay deep, secluded forests, perilous rocks, and sheer cliffs. The terrain was complicated, home to countless fierce beasts and strange, bizarre Gu worms.

Mortals found it nearly impossible to cross through. Even a lone individual who wanted to force their way past these formidable obstacles needed at least the cultivation of a Rank 3 Gu Master.

Thus, the economy was barren and trade was difficult. The primary form of commerce was the caravan.

Only by forming a caravan of such vast scale could Gu Masters travel in groups, help one another, overcome the hardships and dangers along the way, and journey from one mountain to another.

The caravan's arrival was like a bowl of boiling water suddenly poured into tranquil, peaceful Qing Mao Mountain.

"They usually came in April. This year, it's already May before the caravan arrived. Still, it's finally here." Upon hearing the news, the innkeeper let out a long sigh of relief. Business at the inn was exceedingly slow during the other months. Only the caravan's arrival could bring in enough earnings to sustain the entire year.

He also had some Green Bamboo Wine in storage, which he could sell to the caravan.

Not only the inn, but the taverns' business would flourish as well.

The caravan entered Gu Yue village one after another. Leading the way was a Treasure Qi Brass Toad. This toad stood two and a half meters tall, its entire body orange-yellow. Its back was broad and thick, covered in wart-like lumps like the enormous bronze rivets on ancient city gates.

A huge pile of goods was secured to the Treasure Qi Brass Toad's back with thick hemp ropes. At first glance, it looked as though the treasure toad were carrying an enormous bundle.

A middle-aged man with a pockmarked pancake face and a plump, rolling belly sat cross-legged atop the treasure toad's head. His smiling eyes narrowed into slits as he cupped his hands and greeted the surrounding Gu Yue villagers.

This man was named Jia Fu. He possessed Rank 4 cultivation and was the leader of this caravan.

The treasure toad advanced in small hops, while Jia Fu sat steadily atop its head, as unmoving as Mount Tai. When it jumped, he was level with the second-floor windows. Even when it landed, he remained higher than the first floor of the bamboo buildings.

The once-spacious street suddenly seemed somewhat narrow. The Treasure Qi Brass Toad was like a monster invading the rows of bamboo buildings.

Behind the treasure toad came a large fat insect. Its eyes resembled stained-glass windows, bright and brilliantly colored. It was fifteen meters long and shaped somewhat like a silkworm, but its surface was covered in a thick layer of black glazed leather armor. Piles of goods were likewise heaped atop its armor, tied down in loops with hemp rope. Gu Masters sat amid the gaps between the goods, some old and some young.

There were also mortals—sturdy martial artists all of them—slowly following the black skin fat beetle along the ground.

After the fat beetle came Colorful Feathered Camel Chickens, fluffy Mountain Big Spiders, Winged Snakes with two wings, and so on. But these were only a minority; the majority were still toads.

These toads resembled Treasure Qi Brass Toads, only smaller, each the size of an ox or horse. Carrying goods and people on their backs, they puffed out their bellies and proceeded forward in hop after hop.

The caravan wound its way deeper into the village.

All along the way, the children widened their eyes, watching curiously, crying out in delight and marveling.

The second-floor windows opened one after another as the villagers observed from close range. Some had wary glints in their eyes, while others waved in enthusiastic welcome.

"Brother Jia, you came rather late this year. You've had a hard journey." As clan leader, Gu Yue Bo personally welcomed the caravan's leader.

Jia Fu was a Rank 4 Gu Master. If a rank 3 clan elder had been assigned to receive him, it would undoubtedly have been an affront and a slight.

Jia Fu cupped his hands and sighed. "The journey didn't go very smoothly this year. We encountered a group of Ghost Blood Bats on the road and lost quite a few capable men. Then, at Sheer Cliff Mountain, we ran into mountain fog. We truly didn't dare continue, so we were delayed for quite some time. I have kept Brother Gu Yue waiting for long."

His words were exceedingly courteous.

Gu Yue village needed the caravan to come trade every year, and the caravan likewise needed harmony to bring wealth.

"Heh heh heh, it's good that you came. Please, the clan has already prepared food and wine. Let me welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey, brother." Gu Yue Bo extended a hand in invitation.

"The clan leader is too courteous, truly too courteous." Jia Fu put on a flattered expression.

The caravan arrived within Qing Mao Mountain's territory in the morning and settled into Gu Yue village at noon. By evening, a vast area of temporary shops had formed around the village. Tall tents of every shade of red, blue, yellow, and green had been erected, with countless small stalls crammed into every available gap between them.

Night descended, yet this place was ablaze with lights.

An endless stream of people poured here from the village. There were mortals and Gu Masters alike. Children skipped about in excitement, while even the adults wore joyful expressions as though celebrating a festival.

Fang Yuan followed the crowd and entered alone.

The crowd bustled and surged, clustering around the stalls or constantly entering and leaving the tent entrances.

Cries of hawking rose and fell all around him.

"Come and take a look! Top-grade Blue Sea Cloud Tea Bricks! Take one sip, and you'll be as carefree as an immortal! Even if people don't drink it, it's cheap and excellent for feeding tea Gu! Just five Primeval Stones a brick!"

"Brute Force Celestial Ox Gu! When a Gu Master activates it, their strength can surge by that of an ox! Don't miss it as you pass by!"

"Heart-Knowing Grass, top-grade Heart-Knowing Grass! Everyone, look at this quality—it's fresh as if it had just been picked. One jin for two Primeval Stones, what a cheap price..."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yuan's footsteps paused slightly, and he looked over toward the voice.

He saw a camel chicken pulling a two-wheeled cart. A heap of pale green grass was piled on the cart. Each blade was a meter long, slender and thin, on average only as wide as a fingernail. At the tips of some blades grew red, heart-shaped flower buds.

Heart-Knowing Grass was one of the supplementary feeds for Gu worms. Its value lay in how it could be paired with certain foods to feed Gu worms.

For instance, Fang Yuan needed to feed his Moonlight Gu two petals at every meal. But if he mixed in one stalk of Heart-Knowing Grass, the Moonlight Gu would be full after eating just one Moon Orchid petal.

One jin of Heart-Knowing Grass cost only two Primeval Stones, while every ten Moon Orchid petals cost one Primeval Stone. A little calculation showed that mixing in Heart-Knowing Grass to feed Gu worms was more economical.

"Half a month ago, I killed Gao Wan. Because I used the Moonlight Gu at the academy, I was fined thirty Primeval Stones. But the Mo family later compensated me thirty, so there was no loss. These past days, I have robbed twice for a total of one hundred and eighteen Primeval Stones. But recently, I have continuously consumed refined middle-grade primeval essence to nourish the walls of my Aperture, costing three Primeval Stones every day. Adding the cost of feeding Gu worms, my own living expenses, and the Primeval Stones continually spent buying Green Bamboo Wine, I have ninety-eight left now."

Ever since Fang Yuan killed someone, his savage and cold-blooded image had sunk deep into the students' hearts. For a time, no one dared challenge him again. This made his robberies much easier. Each time, only a very few dared resist him.

After calculating in his heart, Fang Yuan shifted his gaze and continued walking deeper into the temporary market district.

A crowd had gathered around the Heart-Knowing Grass stall. They were all Gu Masters or students, clutching Primeval Stones as they scrambled to buy it.

It was not that Fang Yuan lacked the money to buy this Heart-Knowing Grass, but that he lacked the time.

"If I remember correctly, that Warty Earth Toad should be in that shop. In my previous life, a Gu Master gambled it away on the very first night and made a huge profit. I need to hurry. I cannot lose the big picture for a small gain."