"If we follow what clan head said just now, chasing away the River Swallowing Toad wouldn't be a difficult thing," An elder spoke.
"We can't say that." Gu Yue Bo shook his head, "These are only rumors, I haven't personally seen it or even put it to use. The important thing is that we can't be careless. I suggest we first send a group of Gu Masters to test it."
All the elders agreed.
Gu Yue Chi Lian spoke, "Then how about I send a member of my Chi family. If he can't do it, then no one among our clan might be able to do it."
Everyone knew who Chi Lian was speaking of, and they approved of it one after another.
Clan head Gu Yue Bo smiled, "Since it is so, then we shall just assign it to the Chi Shan group."
However, Chi Shan face was grim as he returned.
The villagers at the mountain foot were waiting for the Gu Masters to deal with this problem.
But the great Gu Yue Chi Shan arrived and still could not solve the issue. This caused the villagers to panic, and the panic spread and reached a high point.
They dragged their families, brought big and small bags, and rushed up to the village. They naturally did not dare to step inside, thus more and more villagers kneeled outside the village's doors, begging the Gu Masters to have mercy and let them in.
In the hall.
"What? These lowly commoners dare to surround the main gate. Atrocious, they are getting more and more daring, kill, kill them all!" The punishment hall clan elder screamed.
Medicine hall's Gu Yue Yao Ji's face was also grim, "Although these lowly commoners deserve death, killing a few is enough to threaten the rest and chase the group away, but it would be like a joke for the other villages to observe."
Gu Yue Chi Lian said, "The important thing now is not this. If even Chi Shan cannot wake this River Swallowing Toad, who else in our clan can? It seems we have to get reinforcements, the Xiong clan specializes in strength." He sighed and continued, "for the safety of the clan, we should get them to do it. Even if we have to pay a price, it is worth it."
These words got the consent of the other clan elders, and even clan leader Gu Yue Bo was moved.
"Clan leader and the other clan elders, this junior has something to report." Gu Yue Chi Shan had been standing in the hall, listening to the clan elders, but suddenly he bowed and said spoke.
Gu Yue Bo nodded, he had an appreciative attitude towards Gu Yue Chi Shan, "Chi Shan, if you have any ideas, you might as well say it."
Chi Shan asked instead, "Elders, to push this River Swallowing Toad awake, does it really need one person's strength?"
Gu Yue Bo said, "According to the previous clan leader's words, the River Swallowing Toad has a mild temper and loves to sleep. Even if it is awakened by someone pushing it, it would not rage. Thus, we asked you who has the greatest strength in the village to wake it. But it ended in failure."
Chi Shan said, "Then can clan leader grant me a Brute Force Longhorn Beetle Gu? With one bull's strength and my inborn strength, I would be able to push this River Swallowing Toad awake."
"You definitely cannot use a Gu worm's strength." Just as Chi Shan finished speaking, a clan elder denied his request, "A Gu worm's aura will invite the vigilance of the River Swallowing Toad. If this causes it to feel threatened and rampage about, who would face the consequences?"
"That's right." Gu Yue Bo nodded, "By using a Gu worm, even if we wake up the toad, we cannot get its approval. It has to be a single person, using his own strength to wake it and get its approval."
Gu is the spirit of heaven and earth, but it behaved more like wild beasts. Wild beasts have their territories, and roaming wild beasts when encountering the king of a territory, would have a battle. The victorious takes the territory and the loser roams.
The formation of a beast tide is also based on this wild beast instinct. Strong beast groups will invade and conquer neighbouring land. Weaker groups would be exiled and this forms the beast tide.
To chase the River Swallowing Toad away, they have to abide to its habits.
The River Swallowing Toad had a gentle disposition and generally avoided conflict.
As long as it could acknowledge a 'beast king' within the territory, it would quietly withdraw. Because of this, using Gu worms was out of the question—their aura might alert the toad and provoke erratic behavior.
Working together as a group wouldn't work either. Even if they managed to force it out, the toad wouldn't accept such an outcome.
It wouldn't recognize a joint effort as fair dominance.
That's why the clan leader sent Chi Shan forward—he was the strongest individual in the village.
"So that's it, I understand." Chi Shan finally understood the situation, he cupped his fists, "In that case, I will recommend someone to the clan elders, he has greater strength than me."
"Oh, who?"
"There's such a person, why did we not know?"
"Chi Shan, don't keep us waiting, quickly say it!"
"This person, is Gu Yue Fang Yuan." Chi Shan said a name.
"Gu Yue Fang Yuan?" The elders couldn't help but look at each other upon hearing this name.
They clearly recognized this name. In fact, from the beginning, Gu Yue Fang Yuan's name would occasionally reach their ears.
Especially after the Awakening Ceremony, when his Gu Master cultivation started, this lad had been getting restless; he frequently caused some disturbances that attracted attention.
"Ah, I remember him. Isn't this kid the one who sold his family assets and bought a red steel Relic Gu?" An elder came to realization.
Gu Yue Chi Lian and Gu Yue Mo Chen's faces turned ugly.
If Chi Shan or Mo Yan had used the red steel Relic Gu, they could ascend to rank two peak stage and be equal to Gu Yue Qing Shu.
This would reflect towards the higher-ups — whether it was the Mo faction or Chi faction who got the relic gu, it would be a political victory. But to think that this prodigal kid had ruined it all!
"Returning to the main topic, this kid is truly strong. At the arena previously, he used his bare fists to shatter Jade Skin Gu's defence and pummeled Fang Zheng down, achieving the championship," an elder recalled.
This time, it was the clan head Gu Yue Bo's turn to be embarrassed.
He had especially nurtured Gu Yue Fang Zheng, thus Fang Zheng's defeat – in some sense – was his, the clan head faction's, defeat.
As long as one entered the system, anyone would be labelled with factions. There were neutral political factions, but absolutely not a person without any faction.
"But in terms of power, his strength shouldn't be comparable to yours, right?" Chi Lian doubtfully asked Chi Shan.
Chi San respectfully answered, "Elders, perhaps you might not know, Fang Yuan not only bought red steel Relic Gu, he also purchased a Black Boar Gu. These few months, he has been buying pork to nurture the Black Boar Gu and increase his strength. Once, I even saw him moving a huge rock in the mountain to measure his strength. I am not sure how much strength he has, but from what I have seen, his strength absolutely doesn't lose to mine."
"So it was like that. To think this kid, Fang Yuan has grown to this stage." Gu Yue Bo nodded his head. "Then let's assign Fang Yuan's group to give it a try."
There was a racket in the tavern.
"Do you guys know, the clan sent the Chi Shan group to the foot of the mountain but they ended up returning in defeat."
"The villagers living at the foot of the mountain are all kneeling in front of the clan's entrance, blocking the gate."
"Hmph, these lowly commoners don't even have a bit of knowledge. River Swallowing Toad is a Rank five Gu, do they really think they will be safe in the village?"
Though the words sounded calm, panic still lingered in the air.
The Gu Masters were clearly forcing themselves to stay composed.
Fang Yuan listened briefly, then lost interest. This was old news.
He stood up, ready to leave, when someone entered the tavern.
It was a tall, broad man with red-toned muscles, his upper body bare—Gu Yue Chi Shan.
The tavern fell silent. All eyes turned to him. Chi Shan ignored the stares.
He scanned the room and quickly spotted Fang Yuan.
"You were here." Under the numerous gazes, he walked in front of Fang Yuan, "Let's go, the clan has already given a mission. Let's head to the foot of the mountain, I will tell you the details on the way."
Fang Yuan's gaze flashed he could refuse the mission but since there was not much danger when facing the River Swallowing Toad, thus he agreed.
Only after Fang Yuan and Chi Shan left the tavern did the racket start again in the tavern.