Reverend Insanity: The Goody Two-Shoes System

"With that matter settled," Fang Yuan said. "Gu Yue Ye, if that is all, I need to speak with my two associates alone."

"Understood, Lord Fang Yuan," Gu Yue Ye said. Inwardly, the part of him that remembered being a Rank 3 elder and bristled at the tone that Fang Yuan was using. It was nothing but polite on the surface, but Gu Yue Ye couldn't help but feel like Fang Yuan was treating him like a dog he had thrown a few treats at and then demanded to get lost. 

However, he once again felt Fang Yuan's Rank 4 aura and these thoughts evaporated like moisture in the hot desert wind. 

Even if he was still an elder, his reputation would pale before that of a Rank 4 Gu Master! If Fang Yuan was treating him like a dog, so be it! If asked to bark, he would let out a loud 'woof!' as much as he could muster!

He took the two Vitality Leaves, thanked Fang Yuan once again, and left.

Once he was out of sight, Fang Yuan sighed. "Fang Zheng, your heart might be in the right place, but by entertaining such people you are only encouraging more of them."

Fang Zheng lowered his head. "Big Brother... I'm sorry..."

Fang Yuan waved his hand. "It is ultimately a small matter. I came to actually discuss the matter of the Vitality Leaves with you."

He took a seat, and it was only when he sat down that Fang Zheng sat. Jiang Ya, however, remained standing.

"Ah, Elder Fang Yuan, this one wanted to congratulate you on reaching Rank 4. Truly you are the clan's rising star, skyrocketing above all others. The kind of genius that only appears once a century- I knew the moment I laid eyes on you when you were a student that you were spectacular!" 

Jiang Ya inwardly greatly envied Fang Yuan now- he was sure that the latter had somehow stumbled himself into some kind of inheritance with the kind of dogshit luck that he had.

As a matter of fact, most people thought the same. However, it appeared that the clan head's thoughts were going in a different direction. What that direction was, was a mystery. 

Regardless, it wasn't like Jiang Ya was going to say anything to Fang Yuan. He didn't say anything earlier, and had no intention now either.

"Sit down," Fang Yuan said and it was only then that Jiang Ya obliged. "What I came here was to discuss the price of the Vitality Leaves we are selling." 

In truth, he could've had this discussion back home, but he had wanted to teach Gu Yue Ye a lesson... until he had stumbled across what he thought was the secret to refining Rank 5 Charity Gu, that is. 

It was likely that Charity Gu either fed on charitable acts as its food, or on human qi, given that Fang Yuan had not fed it anything ever since he had refined it. Either of those was fine for now, but would be an issue if he decided to leave the mountain in the future. 

"Yes, brother, you're right," Fang Zheng said. "I think we should increase the going rate to eighty per piece-"

"I was going to suggest the opposite," Fang Yuan said. He turned to Fang Zheng. "Fang Zheng, I want you to attempt to double the production of Vitality Leaves- you can use primeval stones for the purpose if need be. I also want to lower the price back down to sixty-five per Vitality Leaf."

"Sixty-five?" Jiang Ya muttered under his breath. On the one hand, he made his money from commissions, though it was Fang Yuan and Fang Zheng who essentially set the price by how much they sold to him. He could try manipulating it on his end, but that would mean the ire of the clan members who were desperate for the same would fall on him. While technically not illegal, it was the same as hiking up the price of an essential good like water back on Earth. Someone like Fang Yuan who was an elder could withstand that pressure, but could he? He could make it up by selling more, but what surprised him was that Fang Yuan was the one who made this suggestion.

While Fang Yuan had a reputation for being kind, he was also shrewd when it came to business.

"Big Brother, won't we lose out by doing so?" Fang Zheng asked. "If anything, the demand just keeps on increasing..."

"That's true," Fang Yuan said. "But look at the village around you, Fang Zheng. The villagers are injured and need Vitality Leaves now more than ever, especially with the upcoming fight. That is why I also said to increase the production. Right now, we have more than enough when it comes to streams of revenue, and I think it is more important that the leaves be more easily accessible to our clansmen."

Ordinarily Fang Yuan would not hesitate to jack up the price even further- so Fang Zheng did have the right idea there. But, ordinarily, Fang Yuan was not bound to Qing Mao mountain for the time being. 

On the one hand, the villager's strength was his strength for the time being given the nature of the wolf tide.

On the other hand, he couldn't completely disregard his reputation now. He might need it if it came to a fight between him and the clan head. He wasn't sure why the clan head was behaving in this way, but the benefits of a few more primeval stones was not worth it. 

"And on that note, Fang Zheng," Fang Yuan continued. "I need you to start preparing. The upcoming beast tide will be like none that has happened before."

The entire village was in a new level of alertness given the huge loss of Gu Masters secondary to the Lightning Lycan King's attack. 

Any day now, it would without a doubt turn its attention to the villages. And more likely than not, they would be the first to attract its fury. Qing Shu, who had been an earlier pillar of the village, was dead now. 

Preparations were underway, the medicine hall was overflowing like always, and everyone was waiting for the time when the attack would come.

The only thing that gave them some relief in their hearts was that Fang Yuan was there, a new Rank 4 Gu Master, and would be watching over and protecting them. The increased supply of Vitality Leaves was greatly appreciated and contributed to his reputation as a hero. 

'No doubt, Paradise Earth and Genesis Lotus might have even anticipated that,' Fang Yuan thought. Even if that was true, however, it didn't mean that it was the wrong thing to do. 

The loss of the Spring Autumn Cicada wasn't just the loss of a Rank 6 Gu Worm, far worse was the fact that Fang Yuan had lost his freedom. The freedom to fly away like the wind, and he was instead trapped in a giant iron cage by the name of Qing Mao mountain. 

And not only was he trapped in a cage, but a feral animal had been released into it- whether in the form of the wolf tide, or in Bai Ning Bing's impending self-detonation.

'Still, to desire is to lose one's freedom,' Fang Yuan said. Even he was tied by his desire for Eternal Life. 'Who can be said to be truly free in this world?' There was a reason the Buddhist monks on Earth thought that the release from desire signified the release from attachment to the wheel of Samsara, and the release of the soul. 

Howl!

His musings were interrupted by the sound of wolves. And not just the few that one might hear from time to time- no, there were multiple of them.

'It looks like the attack is here,' he thought to himself.