Fang Yuan's Rank 4 aura permeated throughout the battlefield.
To Bai Ning Bing's credit, he reacted almost instantly despite the insane turn of events, turning around and running away. "Well, at least he's off our tail," Qing Shu muttered. He turned towards Fang Yuan. "Elder Fang Yuan, thank you for that, but when did you reach Rank Four? Is that genuine Rank Four aura? Or did you use a gu worm to imitate Rank 4?"
Fang Yuan did not answer them immediately. He just said, "I will explain things later. For now, you three should head back towards the village. I'm going after Bai Ning Bing."
"Jun-Elder Fang Yuan, you might be stronger than we initially thought," Qing Shu said. "However, Bai Ning Bing is no ordinary Rank Three fighter either. He was able to kill many Elders when he was only Rank Two. I'm in no position to command you, but I do believe that it is ultimately not worth the risk of pursuing Bai Ning Bing. The village requires strong Gu Masters such as yourself to better weather the wolf tide, and it would be a great tragedy if you were injured. In our current state, we can do little to shift the tide of battle compared to a Rank 4 Gu Master. ."
"Don't worry," Fang Yuan said. "I am the predator, and he is the prey. Go back to the village." Fang Yuan then began running after Bai Ning Bing, using Three Step Fragrant Grass Gu. He used it multiple times in order to close the distance between them. It was only a Rank Two Gu worm, and even with Fang Yuan pushing it using his Rank Four primal essence, it could not compare to the Hundred Li Earthwolf Spider.
However, Bai Ning Bing was also out of primal essence, mainly. It also appeared that he lacked an appropriate movement-type Gu worm. Either he wanted to conserve his primal essence for the purpose of fighting or defending himself, or he had never thought that the situation would arise where he needed to flee.
Fang Yuan kept up his chase as the distance between them narrowed. "Bai Ning Bing!" Fang Yuan yelled out. "Didn't you want to fight to the death? Why don't you turn around and fight me for 300 rounds, then?"
Bai Ning Bing did not respond, but Fang Yuan hadn't expected him to. Seeking excitement was one thing, but jumping off a cliff was another, and Bai Ning Bing must have realized that he wouldn't be able to defeat Fang Yuan, especially with his primal essence already partially depleted.
Although Fang Yuan was radiating killing intent, he had no true desire to kill Bai Ning Bing. If anything, Bai Ning Bing was important towards his plan later on. However, that didn't mean that there weren't benefits to be gained. Just like last time, Bai Ning Bing cast a gu worm behind him just like last time: Rank Three Stone Aperture Gu.
Fang Yuan picked it up and instantly refined it using the Spring Autumn Cicada's aura.
'What was that?' Bai Ning Bing thought to himself. Fang Yuan had instantly refined his gu worm!
He then resorted to another strategy. His throat began to swell up as an ice-blue bird emerged from it, soaring out towards where Qing Shu was. At this distance, there was still a chance that he could hit them, and he was likely hoping that Fang Yuan would hesitate or turn around to help his compatriots.
Fang Yuan, however, already knew about this gu worm and sent out a golden moonblade at it. The resultant icy explosion trapped Bai Ning Bing, though it also made it harder for Fang Yuan to go through the thick layer of ice. Such a thing would have been near fatal for any ordinary Gu Master, but Fang Yuan knew that Bai Ning Bing had his ways of surviving this. As a matter of fact, this icy prison actually helped Bai Ning Bing more than hurting him because it would give him time to recover his primal essence.
Fang Yuan began carving away at the block of ice, though even with his Rank Three moonblade, it could do little. Then the block of ice suddenly burst out, and Bai Ning Bing stumbled. He sent two icicles at Fang Yuan, which Fang Yuan dodged before Bai Ning Bing around to run away again.
Fang Yuan continued to run after him. Bai Ning Bing threw out a different Gu worm this time: a Rank Two Red Steel Relic Gu. Why did someone like Bai Ning Bing have it? It could've been spoils of battle from some unfortunate Gu Master or something his clan gave him which he no longer needed.
Fang Yuan picked it up and refined this one instantly as well. 'This isn't going to work, Bai Ning Bing,' Fang Yuan thought.
Fang Yuan maintained a comfortable pace. He had no need to fight Bai Ning Bing seriously, but he did need to undo whatever barriers the Bai clan had put on him in order to control the Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique. If Bai Ning Bing did not detonate like last time, it would ruin his plans.
An icicle struck his right shoulder, but the Rank Three Moonlight Chainmail Gu stopped most of the blow. Doctor Gu's healing quickly patched up the wound.
'This is bad,' Bai Ning Bing thought. 'If I want to... no, if I just want to survive, I'm going to have to go all out.' He removed the restrictions on his aperture, and it began rapidly filling with primal essence.
He then turned on his heel and struck out at Fang Yuan. If it had been anyone less experienced, this would have caught him off guard. However, Fang Yuan had honed his battle experience over a span of 500 years and had been expecting such.
In this scenario, his response was simple: to back away using the Three Steps Fragrant Grass Gu, while avoiding Bai Ning Bing's attacks.
When there was an opening, he shot out a Rank Three golden moonblade. Its golden contour ripped through the air before it struck Bai Ning Bing's arm. The resulting gash would have been disabling on anyone else, but it rapidly filled itself with ice.
'As I thought, I really can't keep up with him for any longer than five minutes,' Bai Ning Bing quickly assessed. 'Even with all the restrictions removed, the gap between Rank Three and Rank Four is just too much. I also haven't had the full time needed to recover.'
Voices could be heard ahead of them as Bai Ning Bing ran towards the line of voices. 'There's a one in three chance that these people belong to the Bai clan, in which case, I might have a chance at survival.'
Fang Yuan would have normally tailed him given the odds were in his favor. However, he already knew what the result was going to be and turned around. He had already accomplished what he wanted to.
The Rank Two Red Steel Relic Gu was more of a consolation prize than anything. However, things were already set in motion, and he had built up the base for what he was going to do in the future.