Tok. Tok. Tok.
The wooden clappers sounded through the village before dawn, spreading along the quiet paths and reaching the tall bamboo houses built upon thick wooden pillars.
Gu Yue Fang Ming opened his eyes.
He had not slept much.
His body was still young and mortal. Without cultivation, without primeval essence, without Gu to support him, a sleepless night still left heaviness in his head and dryness in his eyes.
But the moment he woke, the exhaustion was pushed aside.
Today was the Awakening Ceremony.
Today would decide his starting point in this world.
And today, he had to steal his first fortune.
Fang Ming sat up from his wooden bed. The room around him was simple. There were no expensive decorations, no servant waiting outside his door, no special treatment prepared by an ambitious family.
His uncle's house was decent, but only decent.
Fang Ming dressed himself quietly. He did not light the lamp. The sky outside was still dark-blue, hanging between night and morning. The rain from last night had stopped, leaving the air wet and cold. A faint scent of soil, bamboo, and mountain flowers drifted in through the cracks of the window.
He moved lightly, avoiding unnecessary noise.
Today, he could not let his uncle stop him with concern, advice, or questions.
Fang Ming respected the original body's uncle to some extent. The man had adopted him, fed him, and raised him. In the Gu World, that was already a debt. But affection could not replace strength, and gratitude could not block a wolf tide.
If Fang Ming failed today, everything else would become meaningless.
He stepped outside.
The mountain village before dawn was quiet. The houses stood upon pillars, connected by paths that followed the uneven terrain. Mist floated low between buildings. Far away, faint lights still burned in a few homes.
Fang Ming lowered his head and walked toward the area where the Fang brothers lived.
His target was not Fang Yuan.
It was Fang Zheng.
Fang Zheng, the younger twin brother who had always been buried beneath Fang Yuan's shadow.
Fang Zheng, the youth who would soon awaken A-grade aptitude.
Fang Zheng, the first ladder Fang Ming had to climb if he wanted to live.
As he walked, Fang Ming's mind stayed calm, but his chest felt tight.
He did not know how long the copy would take.
That was the greatest danger.
If copying A-grade aptitude only required a few breaths, then everything would be simple. If it required several minutes, he still had a chance. But if it required an hour or more, then he had to begin before the ceremony and remain close to Fang Zheng for as long as possible.
One meter.
That was the system's requirement.
Not two meters.
Not a vague "nearby."
One meter.
Such a distance was easy to reach for a moment, but difficult to maintain without attracting attention.
Especially near Fang Yuan.
Fang Ming reached a bend in the road and slowed his footsteps. From this position, he could see the path leading out from the Fang brothers' residence, but he did not stand directly in front of it.
That would be too obvious.
He leaned beside a bamboo railing, pretending to adjust his clothes while waiting like any nervous youth might wait on the day of awakening.
Time passed slowly.
The sky brightened a little.
Then, the door of the Fang brothers' house opened.
Two youths walked out.
The one in front had a calm expression, his steps neither hurried nor slow. He looked young, but there was a strange stillness around him, as if the world before him could not move his heart.
Gu Yue Fang Yuan.
The moment Fang Ming saw him, his fingers tightened inside his sleeves.
This was not an ordinary youth.
This was an old demon wearing a fifteen-year-old body.
The current Fang Yuan had no cultivation, and no Gu, If judged only by strength, he was helpless. But Fang Ming did not dare look down on him.
Five hundred years of experience.
That was not something a reader's memory could compare to.
Behind Fang Yuan walked Fang Zheng. His head was slightly lowered, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He seemed nervous, tense, and much easier to approach.
Fang Ming moved.
He waited until the brothers came closer, then stepped onto the path as if they had simply met by coincidence.
"Fang Yuan. Fang Zheng," Fang Ming greeted.
Fang Yuan's eyes turned toward him.
For an instant, Fang Ming felt as if cold water had been poured over his spine.
That gaze was not sharp in an obvious way. It did not show killing intent or suspicion. But it was too calm, too measured, as though Fang Yuan had already begun placing him somewhere in his mind.
Fang Ming forced himself to remain natural.
Fang Zheng raised his head and nodded politely. "Fang Ming. You are going early too?"
"Who could sleep today?" Fang Ming gave a faint smile, then naturally stepped closer to Fang Zheng. "Let's go together."
Fang Zheng did not refuse.
Why would he?
They were both youths of the Gu Yue clan. They were the same age. They were going to the same ceremony. Walking together was ordinary.
Fang Yuan glanced at Fang Ming once more, then looked away.
He did not speak.
Fang Ming's shoulder almost brushed Fang Zheng's sleeve.
Within one meter.
At that moment, a cold and mechanical feeling appeared in Fang Ming's mind.
Target detected: Gu Yue Fang Zheng.
Copyable talent detected: A-grade aperture aptitude.
Distance condition: fulfilled.
Monthly copy available.
Begin copying?
Fang Ming did not hesitate.
Yes.
Copy initiated.
Current progress: 0%.
Fang Ming's heart sank slightly.
It was not instant.
The worst possibility had not happened, but neither had the best.
He continued walking beside Fang Zheng, controlling his breathing and expression. He could not look too eager. He could not stare at Fang Zheng. He could not keep checking the system too obviously.
Every step mattered.
Every breath mattered.
The three of them walked along the village path. As dawn arrived, more youths appeared from different houses. Some walked alone, some in groups of two or three, all heading toward the clan pavilion.
Soon, whispers began.
"Look, it's Fang Yuan."
"That is the one who wrote poems when he was young?"
"He really does look arrogant."
"Of course he can be arrogant. If you were expected to awaken A-grade aptitude, you might act the same."
The words were quiet, but not quiet enough.
Fang Zheng's shoulders lowered slightly.
Fang Ming noticed it.
He also noticed Fang Yuan's lack of reaction.
In the original story, this was Fang Zheng's cage. He lived beside a brother everyone praised, and the more others admired Fang Yuan, the smaller Fang Zheng felt.
But Fang Ming knew the irony.
The one being praised would soon awaken only C-grade aptitude.
The one lowering his head would become the clan's true hope.
And Fang Ming, walking beside him, was trying to steal the same hope before the ceremony revealed it.
Copy progress: 7%.
Too slow.
Fang Ming's eyes remained forward, but his thoughts moved quickly.
At this speed, the path alone would not be enough.
He needed to stay close during the gathering, during the descent into the underground cave, and perhaps even until Fang Zheng's name was called.
That would be difficult.
The group of youths became larger as they approached the clan pavilion. More bodies meant more chances to be pushed apart. Fang Ming subtly adjusted his pace again and again, always keeping Fang Zheng at his side.
Sometimes he slowed.
Sometimes he stepped around another youth before Fang Zheng could be separated.
Sometimes he answered Fang Zheng's nervous words with a short response, just enough to maintain the appearance of walking together.
Fang Yuan said very little.
But Fang Ming could feel, once or twice, Fang Yuan's gaze brushing past him.
It was light.
Almost careless.
But Fang Ming did not believe in Fang Yuan's carelessness.
At the square before the clan pavilion, over a hundred fifteen-year-old youths had already gathered.
The clan pavilion stood at the center of Gu Yue Village, tall and solemn, its layered roofs rising above the square. Guards were stationed nearby, and the atmosphere was different from ordinary days.
This place represented authority.
Clan head.
Elders.
Rules.
Punishment.
Resources.
Future.
Fang Ming followed the crowd and remained beside Fang Zheng.
Copy progress: 19%.
Not enough.
The academy elder appeared before the youths. His hair and beard were white, but his back was straight and his eyes were bright.
"Today is your Awakening Ceremony," he said. "It is the turning point of your lives. Follow me."
The youths quieted.
Under the elder's lead, they entered the pavilion. Fang Ming walked close to Fang Zheng, almost shoulder to shoulder. The air inside was cooler. Instead of going upward, the group was led down a stone passage into the mountain's interior.
The youths around him began to murmur in surprise.
Fang Ming also looked around.
The underground cave opened before them like a hidden world beneath the village. Stalactites hung from above, reflecting soft colors in the dim light. Damp air filled the passage. The stone beneath their feet was cold.
Many youths were amazed.
Fang Ming felt a different emotion.
This place was beautiful, but beauty in the Gu World was rarely harmless.
This underground cave contained the spirit spring.
The foundation of Gu Yue Village.
Without the spirit spring, there would be no steady production of primeval stones. Without primeval stones, there would be no clan prosperity, no Gu feeding, no cultivation resources, and no reason for the Gu Yue clan to root itself here.
This was not just scenery.
This was wealth.
And wealth always attracted blood.
Copy progress: 32%.
Still too slow.
Fang Ming kept walking beside Fang Zheng.
The passage continued downward. After some time, the group heard faint running water. Then the path opened, and an underground river appeared before them.
The water gave off a faint blue glow in the darkness. Beyond the river lay a sea of flowers.
Moon orchids.
Their petals were soft blue and pink, shaped like crescent moons. In the dim underground space, they looked like countless tiny lights spread across the earth.
The youths' eyes widened.
Some forgot their nervousness for a moment.
Fang Ming did not.
This flower sea was the testing ground.
It was also the place where fate would divide them.
The academy elder stood before the river and began explaining the rules. Each youth whose name was called would cross the river and walk into the flower sea. The farther one walked, the better one's aptitude.
The ceremony began.
The first youth stepped forward.
He crossed the shallow river, walked into the flower field, and stopped after only a few steps.
No talent.
His face turned pale as he returned.
The second youth was no better.
Then the third.
Some had no talent at all. Some managed only a short distance, barely enough to be counted as low aptitude. Every result changed a person's life. A youth who had been smiling moments before returned with empty eyes. Another clenched his fists, trying not to cry.
The Gu World did not comfort the weak.
Fang Ming watched quietly.
On Earth, talent tests were fantasy.
Here, they were judgment.
A single result could decide resources, status, marriage, danger, hope, and death.
Copy progress: 48%.
Halfway.
Fang Ming suppressed his impatience.
Names continued to be called.
Then the academy elder announced, "Gu Yue Mo Bei."
A tall youth stepped out.
Fang Ming recognized him.
Mo Bei.
One of the important young talents of this year.
Mo Bei crossed the river and entered the moon orchid field. Step after step, faint lights rose from the flowers and entered his body. He continued moving forward while the youths watched with wide eyes.
Ten steps.
Twenty steps.
Thirty steps.
Finally, he stopped.
The academy elder's expression brightened.
"Gu Yue Mo Bei, B-grade aptitude!"
The crowd stirred.
B-grade.
That was already enough to be heavily nurtured. As long as Mo Bei did not die early, becoming a Rank three Gu Master in the future was almost certain. The elders in the shadows would not ignore such a result.
Fang Ming's eyes flickered.
This was the value of aptitude.
A single test result, and a youth's future changed immediately.
If B-grade could cause such reaction, what about A-grade?
What about two A-grades?
Copy progress: 61%.
Fang Ming looked at Fang Zheng from the corner of his eye.
The younger twin's face was still tense. He seemed happy for Mo Bei, but beneath that happiness was unease.
Fang Ming understood.
Fang Zheng did not yet know that the greatest result today belonged to him.
The ceremony continued.
More youths stepped forward. Some failed. Some showed D-grade. A few reached C-grade. The academy elder recorded everything with a calm expression, but the atmosphere among the youths changed again and again.
Then another familiar name came.
"Gu Yue Chi Chen!"
A short youth walked out, his face tight with nervousness.
Fang Ming's gaze sharpened.
Chi Chen.
This result would be fake.
He watched as Chi Chen crossed the river and walked into the flower sea. Light rose and entered his body. Step after step, he continued until he reached the same level as Mo Bei.
The academy elder announced loudly, "Gu Yue Chi Chen, B-grade aptitude!"
A commotion rose again.
The youths looked envious.
Somewhere in the darkness, elders were surely reacting as well.
Fang Ming remained silent.
Confirmed.
The timeline was still moving according to the story.
Chi Chen's false B-grade result had appeared.
That meant Fang Yuan's rebirth had not yet changed this part of the ceremony.
And it also meant Fang Ming himself was the greatest abnormality here.
Copy progress: 74%.
Not enough.
The names continued.
Fang Ming's palms were damp.
The closer it came to the Fang brothers, the more dangerous the situation became. Once Fang Yuan was called, Fang Zheng might move. Once Fang Zheng was called, the distance would break completely.
Fang Ming quietly shifted half a step closer.
Fang Zheng glanced at him.
Fang Ming gave a faint smile. "Nervous?"
Fang Zheng hesitated, then nodded. "A little."
"Everyone is nervous today."
Fang Zheng looked toward Fang Yuan's back. "Big brother probably is not."
Fang Ming nearly laughed.
Fang Yuan?
Nervous?
Perhaps he had emotions, but they were buried beneath five hundred years of blood and dust. To Fang Yuan, today's ceremony was not a judgment. It was merely the first step in a plan already forming in his mind.
But Fang Ming did not say this.
He only replied, "He is different."
Fang Zheng lowered his head again.
Copy progress: 83%.
The academy elder called more names.
Then, finally—
"Gu Yue Fang Yuan!"
The cave quieted slightly.
Many youths turned their heads.
Fang Yuan had been famous for years. Poems, intelligence, early maturity, clan expectations—his name carried weight before he had even opened his aperture.
The elders were also watching.
Fang Yuan walked forward calmly.
Fang Ming did not look away. Even though his target was Fang Zheng, he needed to witness this moment.
Fang Yuan crossed the river and stepped into the moon orchid flower sea.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The lights entered his body.
He walked forward without expression.
But after a certain distance, he stopped.
Silence spread.
The academy elder's expression changed.
C-grade.
Gu Yue Fang Yuan, the genius praised by the clan for years, had only C-grade aptitude.
The youths reacted with shock. Some were stunned. Some exchanged glances. Some seemed unable to believe what they had seen.
Fang Zheng stared blankly.
His older brother, who had always stood like a mountain before him, had suddenly fallen in the eyes of everyone.
Fang Ming's heart was calm.
He already knew this result.
But seeing it happen in front of him still made him feel the weight of the original story.
Fang Yuan returned from the flower sea. His expression remained indifferent, as if the result did not belong to him. But when he passed by, his gaze moved across the crowd.
For a brief instant, it touched Fang Ming.
Fang Ming's heart tightened.
Did he notice?
No.
Maybe.
It was impossible to tell.
Fang Yuan looked away.
Copy progress: 91%.
Almost.
Almost there.
The academy elder continued calling names.
Fang Ming no longer cared about the other results.
His whole mind focused on the number in his head.
93%.
A youth stepped forward.
95%.
Another youth returned with D-grade talent.
97%.
Fang Zheng's breathing grew heavier. After seeing Fang Yuan's result, his emotions were clearly in chaos. Shock, confusion, fear, and a faint hidden expectation all mixed together.
Fang Ming moved closer.
One meter could not be broken.
Not now.
The academy elder lifted the name list again.
"Gu Yue Fang Zheng!"
Fang Zheng's body trembled.
Copy progress: 99%.
Fang Ming's pupils shrank.
Not complete.
It was still not complete.
Fang Zheng took a step forward.
The distance began to open.
Fang Ming acted.
He reached out and patted Fang Zheng's back, his voice carrying friendly encouragement. "Go on, Fang Zheng. It's your turn."
The push was just a little too strong.
Fang Zheng had been nervous. His legs were stiff, his mind unsettled by Fang Yuan's result. Under Fang Ming's sudden force, he stumbled.
"Ah!"
He fell forward onto the stone ground.
The nearby youths cried out softly.
"Fang Zheng!"
"Are you alright?"
Fang Ming immediately crouched beside him, his face showing surprise and guilt.
"Sorry, sorry! I used too much strength. Are you hurt?"
He placed one hand on Fang Zheng's shoulder and the other on his arm, supporting him but not truly helping him rise.
Fang Zheng tried to stand.
Fang Ming pressed him down slightly, as if checking his knee.
"Wait, don't move too quickly. Did you twist your leg?"
Every word was concern.
Every movement was delay.
Every breath was stolen time.
Copy progress: 99%.
Fang Ming's heart pounded.
Come on.
Fang Zheng frowned in embarrassment. "I'm fine…"
"Are you sure?" Fang Ming gripped his shoulder. "Today is important. Don't force yourself if you are hurt."
The academy elder looked over and frowned. "What happened?"
Fang Ming quickly replied, "Elder, I encouraged him too strongly. Fang Zheng slipped. It was my mistake."
Some youths laughed quietly.
Others looked impatient.
Fang Zheng's face flushed red. He wanted to stand even more.
Fang Ming held him for one more breath.
Just one more breath.
Copy progress: 100%.
Copy complete.
A-grade aperture aptitude obtained.
At that moment, Fang Ming felt something cold and bright spread through the depths of his body.
It was not pain.
It was not pleasure.
It was like a sealed door inside him had been replaced by something wider, deeper, and more alive.
His body did not visibly change.
No light appeared.
No one noticed.
But Fang Ming knew.
He had succeeded.
He released Fang Zheng and helped him up properly this time.
"I'm sorry," Fang Ming said sincerely.
This apology was not completely false.
Fang Zheng shook his head, still embarrassed. "It's fine."
The academy elder waved his sleeve. "Enough. Gu Yue Fang Zheng, proceed."
Fang Zheng took a breath and walked across the river.
Fang Ming stood behind him, lowering his eyes to hide the emotion inside them.
He had done it.
He had copied A-grade aptitude.
His first step in the Gu World had succeeded.
Fang Zheng entered the moon orchid flower sea.
Light rose.
One step.
Two steps.
Ten steps.
Twenty steps.
Thirty steps.
The youths' expressions changed.
The academy elder's eyes widened.
Fang Zheng continued walking.
The cave became silent.
Even the faint sound of the underground river seemed to grow distant.
Finally, Fang Zheng stopped.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then the academy elder's voice rang out, unable to hide the joy inside it.
"Gu Yue Fang Zheng…"
The cave did not quiet down for a long while.
A-grade aptitude.
These words were like a stone dropped into still water, sending waves through every heart present.
The youths stared at Fang Zheng with envy, shock, and disbelief. A moment ago, Fang Zheng had merely been Fang Yuan's timid younger brother. But now, in the eyes of the clan, his value had surpassed everyone here.
In the darkness, where the clan elders watched, the atmosphere had already exploded.
"Fang Zheng must be handed to my branch! His parents' bloodline has old ties with us. It is only proper!"
"Ridiculous! With your branch's current resources, can you even nurture an A-grade seedling properly?"
"He is a child of the Gu Yue clan, not private property for you old things to divide!"
The elders argued without restraint. Their earlier solemn bearing had vanished. Before an A-grade talent, face and manners could be thrown aside.
A-grade meant the possibility of a future Rank four.
A future Rank four meant authority, resources, and decades of influence.
Whoever raised Fang Zheng would gain more than a disciple. They would gain a pillar.
Gu Yue Bo, the clan head, watched Fang Zheng standing in the flower sea. His eyes shone with a light that was difficult to hide.
Then he spoke.
"Enough."
His voice was not loud, but it pressed down the argument.
The elders quieted, unwilling but cautious.
Gu Yue Bo's gaze swept across them. "Fang Zheng's aptitude is the fortune of the entire clan. Such a seedling cannot be casually handed to any one branch."
One elder's expression changed. "Clan head, you mean…"
"I will personally sponsor Fang Zheng's cultivation," Gu Yue Bo said. "The clan will provide his resources. I will supervise his progress."
The elders' faces turned ugly.
This was robbery in the name of righteousness.
But no one could refute him easily.
Gu Yue Bo was the clan head. His words stood on the highest ground. If they continued fighting too fiercely, it would look as though they valued private benefit above the clan's future.
In the end, the elders could only swallow their dissatisfaction.
Below, Fang Zheng had returned from the flower sea in a daze. The academy elder's attitude toward him had changed completely, becoming gentle and encouraging.
Fang Ming stood among the youths, watching silently.
The result was expected.
Fang Zheng had been taken by the clan head.
Then came the next part.
The academy elder looked at the name list again.
"Gu Yue Fang Ming!"
Several youths turned their heads.
Fang Ming was not famous like Fang Yuan, nor pitied like Fang Zheng. Before today, he had been one of many ordinary clan youths. Some recognized his face, but few had any deep impression of him.
Fang Ming stepped forward.
His expression was calm, but his heart was not.
The copy had succeeded.
But whether the flower sea would recognize the copied aptitude exactly as Fang Zheng's, he could only know after testing it.
He crossed the shallow river.
The cold water brushed against his legs.
Then he stepped into the moon orchid flower sea.
One step.
Two steps.
Soft white light rose from the flowers and entered his body.
Fang Ming felt an invisible pressure blocking the path ahead, but compared to what an ordinary youth would face, this pressure was not impossible to resist. Within his body, the newly obtained aptitude seemed to respond, drawing in the light with ease.
Ten steps.
Twenty steps.
The academy elder's eyes widened.
Thirty steps.
The youths began whispering.
Forty steps.
The cave became silent again.
Fang Ming continued forward.
The pressure grew heavier, but his steps did not stop immediately. Under everyone's gaze, he walked until he reached the same depth as Fang Zheng.
Only then did his body halt.
For a breath, there was no sound.
Then the academy elder's voice trembled with excitement.
"Gu Yue Fang Ming…"
"A-grade aptitude!"
The cave erupted.
Another A-grade!
If Fang Zheng's result was a blessing from the ancestors, then Fang Ming's result was enough to make people wonder if the ancestors had gone mad with generosity.
Two A-grade talents in the same Awakening Ceremony!
The youths looked at Fang Ming as if they no longer recognized him. Fang Zheng also stared blankly, his earlier confusion growing even deeper.
Fang Yuan's gaze finally settled on Fang Ming.
This time, it did not pass lightly.
Fang Ming could feel it.
But he did not turn his head.
In the darkness, the elders lost control again.
"Another one! Another A-grade!"
"This Fang Ming must be given to my family. Our branch has lacked young talent for years!"
"Dream on! Your family cannot even manage your current juniors properly."
Gu Yue Bo's eyes burned hot once more, but this time, he did not immediately speak.
He had already taken Fang Zheng.
Taking Fang Ming as well would be too much.
Even as clan head, he had to leave room for the elders. If he swallowed both A-grade talents alone, the other factions would not accept it.
At this moment, two elders stepped forward almost at the same time.
One was Gu Yue Shi clan's family head.
The other was the Gu Yue Mu family head.
The Mu family head spoke first, his tone firm. "Fang Ming has no powerful backer. My Mu family is willing to adopt and nurture him with full sincerity."
The Shi family head's eyes narrowed. "Your Mu family? What can you provide that my Shi family cannot?"
"Stability," the Mu family head replied coldly. "And we do not make empty promises."
The Shi family head's expression darkened for an instant, but he quickly suppressed it.
He had to win Fang Ming.
Shi Shan's aptitude result looked good on the surface, but he knew the truth better than anyone.
That talent was not clean.
If the matter was exposed one day, the Shi family's future plans would suffer greatly. Fang Ming's appearance was heaven-sent insurance. An actual A-grade talent could cover too many dangers.
Thinking of this, the Shi family head made his decision.
"My Shi family will provide Fang Ming with monthly primeval stones above the standard given to ordinary A-grade students," he said. "We will also prepare a full set of suitable Rank one Gu after he enters the academy."
The Mu family head frowned.
The Shi family head continued, "In addition, I am willing to compensate the Mu family with two resource shares from our eastern bamboo field for the next three years."
The surrounding elders were shocked.
That was not a small price.
The Mu family head's eyes changed.
The eastern bamboo field was a stable source of income. Three years of resource shares were enough to make even an elder hesitate.
He looked at Fang Ming, then at the Shi family head.
After a long pause, he snorted.
"Since Brother Shi is so sincere, my Mu family will not fight over this child."
The Shi family head's expression loosened.
Gu Yue Bo watched this exchange silently. He understood there was something unusual behind the Shi family head's urgency, but with Fang Zheng already under him, he did not interfere.
Below, Fang Ming returned from the flower sea.
Outwardly, he looked like a youth trying to remain calm after sudden glory.
Inwardly, he understood clearly.
From this moment on, he was no longer an ordinary clansman.
He had gained talent.
He had gained value.