The Stealth Scales Gu and the Thunderwings Gu couldn't be used at the same time. Thunderwings Gu was a Rank three Gu that, once activated, produced a pair of lightning wings too conspicuous to be concealed by the Rank two Stealth Scales Gu.
Against the Rank three clan elders, the Stealth Scales Gu's concealment was hardly effective.
Fang Yuan had no choice but to trail behind them at a distance, careful not to get too close.
When the thunder crown wolf had attacked, he was still hiding in the rock crevice secret cave and hadn't joined the battle. If he showed himself now, it would only provoke the clan head's and elders' fury, and he wouldn't have any convincing explanation.
The thunder crown wolf's wounds were severe, leaving it unable to move quickly. After half an hour, Fang Yuan began to hear the sounds of fighting and shouting up ahead.
He approached silently in stealth, climbed onto a boulder, and watched the Gu Masters engaged in combat.
The thunder crown wolf lay sprawled on the ground, covered in fresh wounds that bled without end. Its breathing was ragged, and its dull eyes revealed it was close to death.
"Old geezer Bai, you and your guys sure have the face, coming here to take advantage of the situation!"
"Hehehe, Gu Yue Bo, that's not the right thing to say. This thunder crown wolf was obviously stopped by us, get a clue and fuck off!"
Gu Yue Bo and the Bai clan leader stood locked in a tense standoff, each watching the other warily.
The wolf den had produced three thunder crown wolves, all myriad beast kings commanding their own packs of tens of thousands of lightning wolves. But the three didn't band together, nor could any of them dominate the others.
The wolf packs operated by cooperating, and the three thunder crown wolves possessed enough intelligence to divide the hunting grounds among themselves, each leading its forces against the three large "beast groups."
In their minds, humans were simply another type of wild prey.
To them, the wolf tide was nothing more than a grand hunt.
On Qing Mao Mountain, the Xiong, Gu Yue, and Bai clans had survived for centuries, each holding their own trump cards.
The Xiong clan was the weakest and still struggling desperately against the wolf tide. The Bai clan, however, had grown stronger in recent years, eventually surpassing the Gu Yue clan in total strength. After slaying a thunder crown wolf and driving back the beasts, the Bai clan leader led his elders to Gu Yue village, looking for more opportunities.
And sure enough, they stumbled on exactly such a chance, cornering the thunder crown wolf here in this valley.
The beast carried many Gu worms inside its body, including several of Rank four. Its blood, bones, eyes, and fur were all highly valuable refinement materials. Naturally, the Gu Yue clan refused to let such spoils go, and in their anger, they attacked.
"Hehehe, Fang Yuan you really came. I've waited for so long!"
A cold laugh echoed off the cliff face.
Fang Yuan looked up to see Bai Ning Bing in white descending from the sky, an iceblade in hand, slashing toward him without hesitation.
Before the ice blade even touched him, Fang Yuan could already feel a chilling aura rushing at him from behind, like a comet crashing to earth—piercingly cold and filled with murderous intent.
His black irises remained steady, showing no fear in the face of danger. He leapt back while channeling primeval essence into the Sky Canopy Gu, summoning a layer of white armor around his body.
Bam! The ice blade slammed into the ground, and in that instant, a cluster of white icicles burst upward from the earth.
Swoosh!!
The jagged icicles shot up toward the direction Fang Yuan had jumped, forming a sharp, frozen path.
With ease, Fang Yuan flipped mid-air and dodged them.
The mountain path was narrow, so he quickly slid down along the edge, descending into the valley below.
"Hehehe, Fang Yuan oh Fang Yuan, why is it that everytime I see you, I feel that intense urge to kill you? Mmm, tell me!" Bai Ning Bing excitedly shivered as he laughed maniacally.
His laughter attracted the gaze of the other Gu Masters in the valley.
"Lord Bai Ning Bing, let me assist you!" A Bai clan Gu Master who originally stood at the side shouted and struck towards Fang Yuan.
"Clan leader, it is our clan's Fang Yuan!" Gu Yue clan's Gu Masters shouted.
"I know." Clan leader Gu Yue Bo's expression was uncertain, and he dodged the Bai clan leader's attack as he decided, shouting, "Get the materials into our possession first!"
Fang Yuan's sudden disappearance before the wolf tide had already made the Gu Yue elders suspicious. Combined with the Bai clan's heavy pressure, no one moved to support him.
Bai Ning Bing saw help arrive and flew into a rage, shouting at the person, "Scram, this is my battle, don't interfere!"
"Lord Bai Ning Bing, you lost an arm and have reduced battle potential. You are the hope of our Bai clan, you cannot be lost. Let me sweep this obstacle for you!"
The Bai clan Gu Master yelled and lunged at Fang Yuan.
Activating his Gu, both hands glowed orange-yellow.
Bam!
He pressed the ground lightly, sending the light into the earth. A lump of mud swelled and rolled toward Fang Yuan, growing larger as it moved.
Suddenly, it burst apart, revealing a massive yellow mud arm as tall as a man, reaching to grab him with crushing force.
Fang Yuan snorted in disdain.
Just as the hand was about to seize him, a dark golden light shot from his aperture, forming a radiant ribbon that coiled around him.
The huge arm struck but was twisted apart by the golden light, breaking into pieces.
"Oh? What Gu worm is this?" Bai Ning Bing showed shock on his face.
The dark golden light faded, revealing the Gu's true form.
Over a meter long and as thick as two fists, it had a dark golden shell exuding a fierce aura. Along its sides, sharp blades glinted coldly.
Chainsaw Golden Centipede!
"Come," Fang Yuan shouted, extending his right arm, his fist clenched.
The Chainsaw Golden Centipede climbed swiftly up Fang Yuan's body, coiling around his right arm like a snake.
Its jaws opened wide, swallowing his fist up to the forearm.
As Fang Yuan swung his arm, the centipede's tail moved, slicing through the air with a sharp sound.
It then compressed, shrinking from nearly two meters to one and a half, pulling in its legs to reveal only two rows of spinning blades.
At a glance, Fang Yuan now wielded a massive, hiltless golden blade.
The Bai clan Gu Master was stunned—he never imagined the centipede could be used this way.
Gu Mastery required deep understanding of raising, refining, and using Gu. Fang Yuan's method was unheard of, pushing creativity to the limit.
But this wasn't his invention.
Three centuries later, a demonic genius known as the 'Chainsaw Mad Demon' would use the Rank four Chainsaw Killer Centipede, the evolved form of this Gu.
Yet in this life, Fang Yuan's use of it came far earlier.
"Let me show you," Fang Yuan smirked, channeling primeval essence into the centipede.
Buzz buzz buzz!
The twin rows of blades spun violently, releasing a chilling sound.
Thunderwings Gu!
A pair of blue lightning wings burst from his back.
Whoosh!
He shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
So fast—too fast!
The Bai clan Gu Master's pupils shrank, sensing death. He screamed and activated his strongest Gu; a thick yellow light began forming around him.
But before it could fully take shape, Fang Yuan was already there.
His black hair flew wildly, lightning eyes blazing—like a demon from nightmares.
Using his full strength, he struck violently.
The centipede-sword carved through the air, blades spinning as it slashed toward the opponent's waist.
Crack!
The yellow armor shattered before it fully formed.
The blades tore through flesh like butter. With a twist of Fang Yuan's wrist, blood and minced flesh flew everywhere.
The Gu Master's spine shattered, organs destroyed.
His upper body soared through the air; his lower half remained.
Plop.
He died wide-eyed, staring in horror at his severed body.
The brutal kill silenced both clans.
All eyes turned to Fang Yuan, filled with shock and fury.
That Bai clan Gu Master was a Rank three elder with a reputation—instantly killed under Fang Yuan's fierce assault.
His clothes were soaked in blood and gore, the centipede's blades still spinning violently, forcing all others to avert their gaze.
"What a great Gu worm! Fang Yuan, you did not let me down indeed! Come battle!" Bai Ning Bing shouted, his passion blazing like flames, striking towards Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan's expression was cold as ice, turning around to counterattack.
Bam!