Gu Daoist Master

Chapter 40 – Toad Gu Slumbering Within the Purple Gold Rock

The further one walked, the more flourishing and prosperous it was. Small street vendors lessened while large tents increased in number.

There were all sorts of large tents to be seen – red, blue, green, yellow, in different shapes and sizes, several being a cylindrical shape. Some erected two door pillars at the entrance of their tents, while others hung large red lanterns instead. Inside, some tents had vibrants lights, whereas others were dim and dark.

Fang Yuan observed his surroundings as he walked, finally stopping near a grey-coloured tent.

“It’s here,” he evaluated while looking at the tent; it had two pillars at the entrance, and there were carvings on the pillars, two lines of antithetical couplet(1).

The left side wrote, “Small display of courage, obtain good fortune during the four seasons.”

The right side wrote, “ Large display of skills, obtain good prosperity in all four directions.”

In the middle there was still another line: “Luck changes with time.”

That’s right, this is a gambling den.

This gambling den took around one mu(2) of land; it was considered a large-sized tent.

Fang Yuan walked inside. Inside of the tent, there was three rows of counters on a side. On the counter were pieces of amber or fossils. Some were as big as a palm, others were as big as a face. There were also others which were even bigger; those were as tall as a person. It obviously could not fit on the counter, thus it was directly placed on the ground.

Different from the other tent shops, it was silent in here.

Several Gu masters stood before the counters, some meticulously observing rocks on the display counter while others took the fossils and rubbed it in their hand to get a feel of it. There were some that were discussing quietly with their companions, and some were discussing the price with their shop clerks.

But no matter what they discussed, they spoke softly, doing their best not to disturb others.

This was a rock gambling den.

In the Gu world, there were all types of Gu, coming with different shapes and sizes and all sorts of effects. Guworms have their respective food to consume. Without food, they can only last a short amount of time before dying.

But nature, towards lifeforms, was both uncaring and benevolent.

If they lacked food, the Gu worms still have a chance of survival. That was to hibernate, undergoing self-sealing.

falling into a deep slumber. At this time, not only would the blue glow on its body dissipate, it would also turn from a transparent crystal state into a grey rock,

Liquor Worm, if it underwent self-sealing, it would form a white cocoon around it, curling its body and

hibernating may not happen to every Gu worm. It has a small chance of occurrence, and in most cases, the Gu worm will not fall into hibernation but instead starve to death. Only a small number of Gu worms may, under specific situations, undergo

the Guworms that were slumbering within. Thus they would have a stroke of fortune. Some of the Gu masters became successful due to this, it being a

rocks all looked alike on the outside. Only after opening

living worms, most of them are dead Gu. But once someone hits the jackpot of a live Gu, under most situations, one would be able to earn a

this in his heart, being very familiar with the situation beyond

the rock gambling den. Some time later, he even operated his own rock gambling den, even larger than this one; it was a medium-sized rock gambling den.

stood at the door for a while, taking a glance around him before slowly walking to the counter on the

assistant every few metres, both males and females. On their waist hung a green coloured belt, showing that they were not

him and smiled, softly saying, “Young master, what Gu worm do you need? Every rock on this counter is sold at ten primeval stones each. If this is your first try, just for the sake of it, why don’t you go to the right counter, the rocks there are sold at only five primeval stones. If you are seeking thrills, you can go to the high-end

an experienced female Gu Master, having worked at the rock gambling

who entered, and determined that he was a student from

were all Gu Masters. Students were only considered second-rate Gu Masters, just starting their cultivation. Because they’re often tight on finance

window shoppers, though if some had well to do families, they might attempt

the female Gu Master had no expectations towards how many

me look around first.” Fang Yuan nodded at her

memory, it should be at this counter in this particular rock

already, especially when 500 years of memory was a huge capacity,

on the first night the caravan arrived, a lucky bird spent ten primeval stones to buy a fossil with

obtained a Mudskin Toad. Afterwards this toad Gu was bought by another person, thus causing him

Yuan frowned after

fossils with a purple gold glow numbered up to twenty. In

each. Right now Fang Yuan had ninety-eight primeval stones with him, and he could buy up

could not count like

sort of risk and gamble, one had to consider

a greenhorn, like those gamblers who thought they were blessed by heaven. Those who thought

friends that can help me. I have to save some primeval stones to survive, as well as to buy food for my Gu

rock, the purple gold is dotted like the stars, but it’s flat as a pancake, there’s definitely no

if there really is a mudskin toad inside, the rock should be at

mudskin

observe and

sealing, they would form into a natural fossil, being undetectable from most of the world’s detection methods. The remaining