San Cha Mountain.
*Swish*
Tie Ruo Nan waved her hand, releasing a dense golden ball formed from several Golden Needles, which dispersed in her command and struck a nearby boulder, slicing it into several thin ribbons. Some pieces turned into shards and broken fragments. Meanwhile, the majority stayed intact. It wasn't due to a lack of control but the rock's integral structure.
Revealing intense concentration, Tie Ruo Nan divided the ball of golden needles into two. One-half suddenly appeared less dangerous, as if losing an innate quality. On the other hand, the remaining half gleamed viridian from their tips, acquiring an ominous glint under the sunlight.
Exhaling loudly as sweat soaked her brows and collected in different spots on her body, Tie Ruo Nan further divided the second group into two smaller clumps of golden needles. The previous bunch lost its poisonous tips, and the latter glowed a gentle green like a sizeable luminescent bulb.
"Hah…"
Ruo Nan relaxed her control, smiling with satisfaction despite the exhaustion burrowing into her features.
"Practicing so intensely under the cruel sun, Young Master Ruo Nan?" An aged voice inquired as she immediately straightened her back, 'unprepared' for the surprise visitor.
"A-Ah! Old Clan Leader!" she greeted with a clear voice, slightly bowing and cupping her fists as Tie Mu Bai chuckled and shook his head.
"The Tie Clan controls this mountain region, but you never lost your caution and maintained a few Gu Worms to create a safe perimeter." He praised her with slight pride in his tone. "You deserve your position, Little Young Master."
Tie Ruo Nan smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"And what forced you to train so intensely?" Tie Mu Bai inquired again as he clasped his hands behind his back.
"I…" she wondered, momentarily gazing at the sky. "I like training during noon, especially during the harshest moments of the day. My father used to stop me from doing that until he gave up and joined me… Although, he never stopped complaining about how it tanned my skin and how upset my mother would have been."
"Tie Xue Leng," Tie Mu Bai smiled. "I knew him since he was a little boy. He was always the stubborn one, and from what I heard, he and your mother shared that quality and passed it on to you."
Tie Ruo Nan blinked and looked at the old man. "Not only that," he added. "Tie Xue Leng only relented for two people—you and your mother."
Fond memories flickered in the man's eyes as he revealed a lore about Ruo Nan's father that she never knew or heard.
"Your grandfather opposed Tie Xue Leng's marriage to your mother back then. Their conflict grew hot and intense until I had to step in. At the time, I had a command from one of the Supreme Elders to test your father since they had chosen him as a seed to nurture for the Clan's stability and future."
Noticing the lass' intrigue piqued, Mu Bai continued the tale with a soft, reminiscent smile. "I gave your father a choice—either he could give up pursuing the Inheritance he was being trained for or your mother. Well, you know what he chose. But did anyone ever tell you what he said?"
"No," Ruo Nan shook her head. "I spent most of my early years outside the Clan with father and rarely visited home."
"Hmm," Tie Mu Bai nodded, disclosing the matter with unconcealed pride. "Your father stated—A person can be anything they want. I'm a man composed of my promises and shall not break apart under any circumstances. Rituals will not make my wife less to me. She is already my wife and will remain so. I promised to rise to everyone's expectations and master the inheritance. Alas, my path to master it within the clan is predicted to end, so I shall roam the world and master it nonetheless."
Tie Ruo Nan gaped, genuinely shocked. "Dad refuted one of the Supreme Elders?!"
"Well, no. Little Xue Leng refuted me," Tie Mu Bai snickered. "But his answer pleased the Supreme Elder."
The old man exhaled and inclined his head to gaze at the sky.
"Little Ruo Nan, I heard about your actions. A heart beating for justice is a treasure for our Clan. But you were impatient and reckless."
Her gaze flickered, and she lowered her head.
"A person is defined by what they do."
Tie Mu Bai shook his head.
"You are partially correct, dear child. A person is defined by what they do and how they do it. Someone who massacres a population to prevent the spread of disease will never be remembered as the people's champion when compared to someone who healed them."
"The Tie Clan's first virtue is justice," Tie Ruo Nan looked at the Old Clan Leader. Her heart momentarily wavered as she recalled her father's words. "We may never purge all the injustices in the world, but we are the ones that stand against every corruption possible."
Those words had once been Ruo Nan's driving force to try to raise mortals' status to free them from the Gu Masters' cruel treatment.
Tie Mu Bai didn't avoid her gaze and nodded. "You are correct. However, maintaining our stance sensibly matters because the Tie Clan doesn't rule the Gu World. Our actions implicate the Clan, and our first priority must always be its survival. What message did you send the world by publicly arresting other Tie Clansmen? Instead, you should have handled the matter discreetly, seized the corrupt officials' assets, and 'assigned' them to the Demon Suppression Tower—offering them a chance at redemption like every other captive."
Tie Ruo Nan glanced away as Mu Bai continued.
"You were hasty and acted irrationally. Impatience fueled your anger, which clouded your mind and heart."
"N-No! That's not—"
"Dear child," Mu Bai interjected. "Many mourn Little Xue Leng's demise."
Tie Ruo Nan grew silent before whispering in a biting tone.
"Then what stance should I reveal for my anger? When the righteous forces cause such losses, how do I deliver justice?"
Tie Mu Bai's gaze momentarily sparkled before he replied, punctuating each word with a grim tone.
"Justice isn't always achieved in one generation, Little Ruo Nan. We're all furious. Do you believe the Tie Clan would not hold the grudge? Your father was wise, and his trust in the Clan's system means something."
Tie Ruo Nan clenched her fists. Her voice seethed with rage, and her shoulders trembled.
"I…" she greedily gulped air, trying to restrain her emotions. "I—"
"Calm your heart," Tie Mu Bai approached the girl, placing a hand on her shivering shoulders. "I repeat it, dear child. You are not alone." His tone was kind and consoling. "You inherited your father's sense of justice and your mother's fury. That woman would lash out at anyone and everyone." He chuckled wearily by the end.
"You were the one who had me join the expedition for the Three Kings' Inheritance," Tie Ruo Nan suddenly realized and glanced at the man, who didn't deny it and nodded.
"I was. I wanted to see what Tie Xue Leng's daughter was capable of. After hearing you changed your Vital Gu to a Sword Path Gu, I expected to be disappointed. However, fate is mysterious, and your achievements in the Sword Path are already exemplary, considering it hasn't been more than three years."
"We let the Little Giant King and Frost Devil escape… he publicly muddied my name," Tie Ruo Nan's shoulders slumped. "Others look at me and whisper under their breaths, saying I'm the devil's consort…"
"Bah!" Tie Mu Bai snorted. "The Devil's Consort? With your mother's blood? It would probably take more than a devil to handle you, that I'm sure of."
Tie Ruo Nan looked surprised as Tie Mu Bai released her shoulder and nodded. "I watched you train since a few days ago."
With that, he circled around the girl and observed the devastation created by Rank 2 Golden Needle Gu.
"Like the Shared-Sense Gu, the Golden Needle Gu is among the many top-tier man-made Gu Worms researched within the clan. You might already know that I exist to this day because that Rank 2 Gu Worm saved my life on several occasions. It was once my Vital Gu, which I advanced until it became the Rank 5 Turn Gold Gu." Tie Mu Bai introduced the Rank 2 Gu Worm in a few statements, yet he explained the Golden Needle's underestimated capabilities of increasing survival, its top-tier evolution pathway, and how even the Elders view this creation as something as discreet and outstanding as the Shared-Sense Gu.
Tie Ruo Nan also knew more.
Ordinarily, the Golden Needle was not outstanding. The Rank 2 Gu was shaped like a needle and not used within one's aperture. So, it was susceptible to being destroyed by enemies. Its defense wasn't incredible either, so a Gu Master must maintain hundreds of Rank 2 Gu.
But it had its advantages.
First, it was easier to refine compared to other Rank 2 Gu. Second, the materials were readily available within the Tie Clan, proving this Gu one of the most advantageous Gu Worms to nourish as a Tie Clansman. Third, it had low feeding requirements, allowing Rank 3 Gu Masters and beyond to host several of its kind. And fourth, this Gu Worm had a wide range of… Killer Moves.
When matched with poison liquid Gu, its tip turned poisonous. Using it with the Stiff Gu made the struck enemies unable to move a single step. Its combination with the chaotic mind Gu tossed the enemy group's mind into a confusing chaos. Also, using it alongside the Vitality Gu allowed the needles to possess healing ability!
No wonder the Tie Clan jealously guarded its recipe!
"Hmm," Tie Mu Bai observed the lacerated boulder. "You used the Golden Needle Gu alongside the Sword Qi Gu, covering your needles with a formless sword qi that boasts an extended range and surprises your opponents. It's a well-thought Killer Move."
"Did Tie Xue Niu teach you about the compatibility between Metal and Sword Paths?"
Tie Xue Niu was the current Tie Clan Leader and Ruo Nan's Uncle.
"I never discussed these matters with the Clan Leader."
"A pity. Like a few others, your uncle has an excellent grasp of Earth and Metal path—unlike me. He has more experience in balancing the two compatible paths. However, I sparred and fought against many Sword Path Gu Masters. Do you understand what I'm saying, dear child?"
Tie Ruo Nan momentarily fell into a daze before she suddenly bowed deeply. "Disciple greets master!"
"I'm no master," Tie Mu Bai chuckled. "However, I cannot let your talents go to waste. Let's sit down and chat for some time. We shall discuss your practice sessions later."
So, they found a seat, and Tie Mu Bai began an introductory lesson about the Golden Needle Gu.
"One of the best advantages of the Golden Needle Gu is that you can control several hundreds of them as 'One Task.' It would be like controlling a larger Gu itself. So, your mind will remain free to use another Gu and form a Killer Move."
"Moreover, the resulting power of the Killer Move is more dependent on the additional Gu Worm since the Golden Needle is merely a medium."
"Sword Qi is a stable foundation to research your Killer Move. However, anyone with slight experience would see through it. Instead, you should seek unorthodox Sword Path Gu, like the Sword Droplet Gu. Ordinarily, that Rank 4 Gu is useless and can only form a 'cutting' water droplet. But I sense some improvement in that path."
As such, Tie Ruo Nan greedily soaked every bit of information before Tie Mu Bai excused her.
'Sigh…'
She sat on her cultivation mattress. A wave of suppressed guilt and complicated emotions struck her core.
Had it been before…
—before meeting Lo Jik, Fang Zheng, and deciding on her vengeance…
If Tie Mu Bai had sought her before, he could have prevented Tie Ruo Nan from making particular decisions.
But that man was insightful. He got one thing right—Tie Ruo Nan's stubbornness.
The first path to turning the impossibility of revoking the demonic duo's bounty was to get close to Tie Mu Bai.
That man was terrifyingly wise and talented. Tie Ruo Nan could picture the sight of a young and handsome Tie Mu Bai taking the world by storm, dressed in an elegant blue robe. A wave of his hand would bring a rain of needles upon the enemy, making them helpless.
However, time was a cruel mistress.
Two figures loomed above Tie Mu Bai's handsome visage.
The first one, dressed in not-so-elegant fashion, was Gu Yue Lo Jik. His talent felt out of this world, being a master in the Strength Path and the profession of Flying and Archery! And the second one?
<<<>>>
Jia Clan, Mae Da Mountain.
As usual, a look in the mirror revealed Fang Zheng's less-than-handsome visage. He had always been an ordinary sight, but now ancient bark covered the right portion of his face. His irides glimmered forest green, and his left ear stood out for being longer and pointed. So, he glanced away.
His gaze landed on a tall and lanky purple-haired man leaning against a couch with a cup of tea between his hands. Although coarse to one's sight, the youth exuded a calm demeanor that went against the norms when one realized Fang Zheng essentially boasted Rank 5 Battle Strength. His Wisdom Path potential was even more terrifying.
Despite all that, the purple-haired youth appeared dumb to the idea of being cautious.
"Are you ready yet?" The unnamed youth inquired, provoking a mere exhale from Fang Zheng as the mutated Tree Spirit ignored the tea-sipping 'tribal' youth.
Sitting across from the man, Fang Zheng picked up his cup of tea and inquired, "Were you wearing the same skin within the Shang Clan?"
The man smiled and nodded, indulging in another sip.
It was a warning.
Fang Zheng knew who this man was and the crimes he'd committed—the damages he'd caused to the Shang Clan at his request.
It was a peculiarly expensive request… trade.
An exchange of goods and services, to be exact.
So, maintaining the same 'skin' proved fatal because this man was bound to attract the Shang Clan's attention, which might spill beyond and square onto Fang Zheng.
"How did you do it?" Fang Zheng inquired. His request had been ridiculous, if not pure fantasy, yet there were individuals capable of achieving just that—the impossible!
"Come now," the purplehead smiled. "A thief never spills his secrets for anyone but a serious woman dressed as a bat."
"You never fail to confuse me," Fang Zheng narrowed his eyes, genuinely unable to understand the youth's words.
"You don't want to understand me, trust that." The youth chuckled, his features momentarily shifting. Wild purple strands darkened and grew straighter, the chiseled face reverted to its ordinary looks, and a pair of crafty black pupils reflected within Fang Zheng's green orb.
"I have a reputation to maintain," the dark-haired youth began. "As per your request, I entered the Shang Clan and stole that Gu Worm for you. I could have sought another target, but I chose Shang Clan because of you. The consequences will be yours to bear eventually, so you best hurry and complete your objectives before hiding."
"Don't you think I would know that, Lu Zuan Feng?"
The Rank 5 expert, Divine Thief Lu Zuan Feng, chuckled. "I somehow doubt that. We infiltrated the Shang Clan. I intended to spend time within the Jia Clan for their competition, but I won't be sticking for long now."
A moment of silence broke between the duo, allowing Fang Zheng to organize his thoughts. He had made first contact with Lu Zuan Feng within the Tie Clan, driving the Demonic Gu Master out from the Demon Suppression Tower AND leaving an Information Path Gu on the man for future contact. Being cunning, Lu Zuan Feng already suspected a path for cooperation since he delivered a peculiar service perhaps unique only to him within the Southern Border's mortal realm.
Only a few select individuals knew about Lu Zuan Feng's 'delivery' business. The Divine Thief's Business Model was pure and simple—the interested party would point at the target and the item they desired from the target. The rest was the Divine Thief's job.
It was how the Demonic Path Gu Master soon became known as the Divine Thief. His skills were so divine that he completed borderline impossible missions with a success rate of 99.99%!
Until now, he had only failed once. Fang Zheng didn't know the details of this failure, only that it occurred and was one of Lu Zuan Feng's sore spots. The inability to infiltrate the Demon Suppression Tower for Blood Seductress' heart didn't count as a failure in the unscrupulous Divine Thief's book because he wasn't there to perform a job but to collect materials for himself.
'Lu Zuan Feng is quite calm,' Fang Zheng noted before realizing the source of the man's confidence. 'That's right. Lu Zuan Feng rarely kills when plundering others. Instead, he openly leaves hints about how he infiltrated the target's defenses. It is a form of compensation to the affected party because they would now claim better defense. The same isn't the case when he infiltrates for personal use. Even now, the Tie Clan is unaware of the loopholes he used to sneak within the Demon Suppression Tower.'
'Additionally, he has the backing of an Immortal. That should deter others. If anything, Lu Zuan Feng is free to divulge his employer—it's one of the conditions of his employment contract, or he would never take any job.'
On the surface, that sounded unfair and scummy. Ignoring that Lu Zuan Feng was a Demonic Gu Master, known to be illicit and malicious in their methods, Fang Zheng soon realized it wasn't as one-sided.
First, those desperate enough to employ the Divine Thief are always within the realm of Rank 5. Standing at the mortal world's peak, these Rank 5 experts have fewer scruples on who they offend. Usually, they demand Lu Zuan Feng's services because plundering another's Gu Worm is rare.
Second, whether Lu Zuan Feng divulged any information was based on the troubles he faced. The man had to maintain his reputation for his business' prosperity and nurtured no Rat Transformation Gu. So, the only case of Lu Zuan Feng indulging an aggrieved party was when their status was too troublesome, something the employer already was aware of and usually hid from the public until the heat simmered away. For instance, Lu Zuan Feng didn't doubt the Shang Clan's ability to realize the truth soon enough.
Attaining this level of understanding allowed Fang Zheng to maintain his calm.
There was still time until the Shang Clan painted a target on his mutated hide.
"Are you sure you can impersonate me without errors?" questioned Fang Zheng.
"For two days? Yes," Lu Zuan Feng replied concisely. "My Killer Move—Skins—is more than the mimicry of physical features. I also followed you for a few days and am confident acting like you."
Fang Zheng lifted his eyebrow, "Confident? I'm in the middle of a case—"
Lu Zuan Feng sneered, "Don't mock my intelligence. Wanting me to investigate Flaming Beard Keng for you will cost extra."
It was the truth. Fang Zheng's Wisdom Path Inheritance wasn't infallible, and the culprit had been peculiarly exemplary in cleaning his track… as if he knew many things about Fang Zheng. The thought was concerning and led the latter to investigate further. Short of diving into another's memories, Fang Zheng had tried everything without success. Yet, he knew Lu Zuan Feng would be THAT fresh pair of eyes needed to solve it.
"I understand," Fang Zheng cleared his throat.
"80%." The Divine Thief smiled.
"45%," retorted the Tree Spirit.
"Let's skip the haggling. 60%. An additional 20% seems fair, given your inheritance and methods already failed. So, receiving 60% of the mortal portion of your Inheritance isn't too unsightly."
Fang Zheng momentarily pondered before nodding.
"After I heal myself."
"Stay assured," Lu Zuan Feng shrugged as his features shifted and adopted Fang Zheng's mutated look. His voice gained the same tone as his. "I never break a contract. Here."
With that, Lu Zuan Feng revealed a strange Gu Worm emanating a Rank 5 aura.
It was a tiny golden seed.
The Rank 5 Heavenly Aperture Transformation!
It was a Wood Path Gu capable of healing injured and dead apertures—a Gu so rare that the Shang Clan's decently secure storage, having stood centuries of safety, fell to Lu Zuan Feng's method as he stole the only Rank 5 Gu stored within.
As Lu Zuan Feng's essence seeped within the Gu, it began to sprout at a pace visible to the naked eye. Its skin broke apart, revealing a tender shoot and a thin root that rapidly developed until the Divine Thief calmly placed the Gu on the floor. Instead of digging into the floor, the roots extended on the surface as the shoot grew taller.
Fang Zheng began creating a defensive formation without missing a beat. His thoughts also momentarily drifted as he wondered how his plan for Tie Ruo Nan turned out. He hadn't received any replies after the recent assistance. After all, Lo Jik's almost heaven-defying achievement successfully moved Fang Zheng to look past their grudges and shake each other's hands to avenge the Gu Yue Clan.
For that, Tie Ruo Nan had to somehow revoke their bounties.
The Gu Worm had grown into a constricted tree before long. Its slimy roots spread all over the floor, and the tree's length sported a gaping maw. Its surface was gold, and the leaves were tender green. However, the 'mouth' was pitch-black.
"You have two days to uncover the culprit," Fang Zheng glanced at his duplicate, who shrugged.
"Leave that to me. The price you offered is top-notch, so expect a similar service."
Fang Zheng scoffed. In the grand scheme of things, his Inheritance meant little to him if he could recover his Aperture, much less a fragmented portion of the mortal Gu Recipes and notes.
Yet, Wisdom Path was too rare and guarded, eventually persuading Lu Zuan Feng to work for the rewards!
Fang Zheng entered the tree's mouth before it began closing. Till the end, Fang Zheng's expression was indifferent before darkness consumed his sight, and the tree's innards spilled viscous nectar that drowned him until he lost consciousness. He would have struggled, but the liquid possessed paralytic properties, making Fang Zheng feel helpless as he endured every moment of drowning until he didn't.
*Thuck*
A slight thud echoed from the tree as the Divine Thief hummed in amusement.
'Lord Desolate, eh?' he sneered. Fang Zheng might not have discovered any clues, but it didn't diminish the Inheritance's value. He was wise enough to know that Fang Zheng was still somewhat inexperienced in exploring certain crimes.
After all, Fang Zheng did not hold all the necessary clues.
Lu Zuan Feng did.
'I had an agreement with that Flaming Beard Keng about the unknown inheritance within the Jia Clan… the walls were modified using Time Path Gu. The clues point at Lord Desolate… let's start planting the evidence for Fang Zheng to follow once he wakes up.'
The man glanced at the tree before leaving the room.
***
Alternate Title: Tie Ruo Nan's Sasuke Arc; Tie Mu Bai's Talk No Jutsu Failed To Confuse Tie Ruo Nan; Stubborn And Demonic; The Golden Needle Gu; Conspired; Beguiled; Time Waits For No Man; Brilliant Younger Generation; Tie Ruo Nan's Partial Gyaru Transformation; Tanned Skin Achieved; Next: Blonde Hair?; Sword Gyaru; The Growing Tomboy; The Father Lore Expands; Tie Xue Leng Being Daddy Of The Year Even After Death; Amazing Fang Zheng; The Divine Thief Lore; Giant Sun: It's Always Those Damn Otherworldy Monkeys!; All Otherworldy Lives Matter; Lu Zuan Feng Deadass Likes Batwoman Variants; The Bat To His Kitty; That Time When I Reincarnated Into The Gu World And Became a Masochist Due To My Training Montage; The Men Who Make The Impossible Possible; The Price; Transformation; The Divine Thief and The Killer Move—Fortnite Skins; The Business Model; A Menace to The Society; Targeted Desolate; The Hidden Story From The Future Events