Stone Gambling

"I want to buy some stones," Fang Yuan said to the female Gu Master after choosing his targets.

"Newbie!" the female Gu Master thought instantly.

Even the worst gambler would first examine the stones before deciding to buy. They would carefully observe and then rub the stones in their hands, feeling the texture and weight of the outer layer.

After observing for a while, if they felt something was off, the gamblers would give up. They wouldn't just say they wanted to buy the moment they spoke.

Someone like Fang Yuan, who said he wanted to buy right away, was undoubtedly a novice at gambling stones for the first time.

However, even though the female Gu Master thought this, her expression remained unchanged. She still smiled like a blooming flower and softly asked Fang Yuan, "Which one would you like to choose?"

Fang Yuan pointed, "This one."

The female Gu Master immediately took it out.

Fang Yuan pointed again, "This one."

The female Gu Master felt slightly surprised. She hadn't expected the young man to buy two stones at once.

"He seems to be the type who gambles quite a bit," she mused inwardly.

But then, Fang Yuan pointed again, "And this one, and that one. I'll buy them all."

The female Gu Master was stunned and greatly surprised. She couldn't help but re-examine Fang Yuan.

"It seems this ordinary-looking young man must have a very good family background. Otherwise, where would a regular Gu Master get so much spare money?" Thinking this, the female Gu Master's smile became even gentler and more amiable. She hadn't expected the young man before her to be such a customer.

This was an unexpected delight.

However, Fang Yuan surprised the female Gu Master once more. He pointed to the purple gold stones furthest away, "Oh, and those two over there."

The female Gu Master couldn't help but be slightly startled. "Which young master from which family in Gu Yue village is this? He looks like the successor of a branch family. If I could get close to him, perhaps I wouldn't have to work so hard here as a shop assistant."

With this thought, the female Gu Master's smile became even softer, and her gaze towards Fang Yuan even held a hint of flirtatiousness.

Six stones were laid out in front of Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan immediately took out sixty primeval stones and handed them to the female Gu Master without hesitation.

His action of paying immediately drew the attention of the other Gu Masters in the tent.

"Hmm? Someone's started gambling stones."

"We've been watching for over an hour and haven't dared to make a move. Now that someone's testing the waters, it's good to watch."

"It's a student. He actually took out sixty primeval stones at once. He's quite well-off. Looks like a genuine hothead. Hmph, is gambling stones really that easy? He's going to break his head today."

The Gu Masters stood in place, discussing in low voices, their gazes all fixed on Fang Yuan.

"Young master, would you like to have the stones opened on the spot? This casino offers free stone opening services," the female Gu Master suggested gently, her eyes sending inviting glances.

Fang Yuan glanced around with his peripheral vision, a subtle smile curving his lips. He waved his hand, refusing the female Gu Master, "Purple gold is my lucky color. This is my first time gambling stones, so it's very significant. I want to open them myself!"

The female Gu Master's eyes brightened by another three points. "This boldness, he truly is a rich young master."

She would never have imagined that Fang Yuan was practically alone in Gu Yue village, rootless like duckweed, with no background or backing, relying only on himself for everything.

"Tch, is being rich all that great?"

"Who knows which brat is out here wasting his parents' hard-earned money!"

"The young man doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. How can anyone choose stones based on a lucky color? Alas, this kind of behavior is like throwing primeval stones onto the water and watching the splashes."

The Gu Masters in the tent couldn't help but dim their gazes. Having already decided Fang Yuan was a prodigal son, their already low expectations plummeted.

Some Gu Masters even withdrew their gazes, turning their heads to observe the fossilized stones on the counter again.

The surrounding changes didn't affect Fang Yuan's state of mind in the slightest. He remained expressionless, silently mobilizing the true essence in his primeval sea and channeling it into the Moonlight Gu.

The next moment, the crescent moon mark on his right palm emitted a cluster of water-like pale blue radiance.

Fang Yuan used this right hand to pick up a purple gold stone and cradle it in his palm. Then, he closed his fingers, slowly rubbing and kneading the surface of the stone.

The blue light flickered continuously, the ripples like flowing water. The purple gold stone grew smaller and smaller, a large amount of powdery stone residue seeping from between Fang Yuan's fingers and falling onto the tent's carpet.

"Young master, excellent technique!" The female Gu Master seized the opportunity to praise him.

"This young man isn't entirely useless. He has some real skill." Seeing this, the Gu Masters' eyes flashed with a complex light. They began to look at Fang Yuan with a bit more respect.

Fang Yuan grinding the stone surface with blue light was a subtle application of the Moonlight Gu. Usually, only Gu Masters who had used the Moonlight Gu for two to three years could achieve this level.

For Fang Yuan's age and status as a student, achieving this was very difficult.

"Look, he's using our Gu Yue Clan's unique Moonlight Gu." Some Gu Masters noticed this and immediately felt a sense of pride, looking at Fang Yuan much more favorably.

"However, this method is still too crude for opening stones," some of the more experienced Gu Masters said, shaking their heads.

The purple gold stone grew smaller and smaller. Initially, it couldn't be fully covered by a palm, but after a moment, it shrunk to the size of a fist, completely enveloped by Fang Yuan's fingers.

The blue light intensified, and the stone reduced to the size of a marble. Finally, only a pile of stone powder remained, forming a small heap on the carpet.

It was a completely solid stone, with no Gu worm inside.

"As expected, unreliable," the Gu Masters shook their heads.

"Young master, there are still five more purple gold stones," the female Gu Master encouraged him gently.

Fang Yuan's expression was calm, completely unfazed. He picked up the second purple gold stone and continued grinding.

However, the result of this stone was still a solid block, with no Gu worm inside.

He switched to the third stone, and it was the same.

Some Gu Masters grew impatient, "Stop looking. There's no point in gambling on stones chosen by color."

"If he can find a good Gu, I'll eat all this stone powder on the ground," someone said with a light smile, mocking him.

"Young Master, don't be discouraged. There are still three stones left, and you've only revealed half of them," the female Gu Master said, her breath like orchids, cheering Fang Yuan on.

Fang Yuan grabbed the fourth stone. As he ground it down to the size of his palm, his movements suddenly paused.

"Huh? There's something!"

"The stone material has changed. It's no longer purple gold stone, but has a black ink color."

"Could it be that he really caught a blind cat and found a dead mouse?"

The surrounding Gu Masters let out a soft gasp.

"Young Master, please be careful when you continue to process the stone. Don't make any sudden movements. The dormant Gu worms are extremely fragile. If you use too much force, you'll accidentally kill the Gu worm inside," the female Gu Master, caught off guard by this development, quickly and cautiously reminded him.

Fang Yuan's movements slowed considerably. As his fingers rubbed, stone powder occasionally fell off with a rustling sound. It was intermittent, no longer continuous like before.

Black ink-colored stone powder drifted down. The stone block grew smaller and smaller, and Fang Yuan's movements became slower and gentler.

The stone powder on the carpet piled higher and higher, and the black ink stone heart in Fang Yuan's hand was finally worn away.

"Alas, what a pity. It's just a stone within a stone."

"You wasted my emotions for nothing. I thought there was really a Gu worm inside."

"You guys are too easily fooled. Is gambling on stones that easy? Eight or nine out of ten are empty; otherwise, how would the shops make any profit?"

"Young Master, your luck is actually quite good. To find a stone within a stone on your first try is something most people can't do." The female Gu Master tried to comfort Fang Yuan in various ways, while also preparing him psychologically for the upcoming results.

It was very common to gain nothing from gambling on stones; it happened eight or nine times out of ten. In her opinion, Fang Yuan was just acting on a whim, and the possibility of him picking a stone with a Gu worm was extremely slim.

Fang Yuan smiled, not replying. Instead, he took out the fifth stone.

He ground it carefully. This time, it only took ten breaths for the purple gold stone skin on the surface to be worn away, revealing a rough, uneven yellow mud ball.