Without hesitation, Jian Long threw Fang Leng aside, as if he was no longer worth anything, then immediately seized the two Gu worms.
In the next moment, he began refining them.
It didn't take long.
The Gu worms displayed in shops were deliberately infused with weak will, so that the buyer wouldn't need to spend extra primeval stones to refine them.
During that—
the onlookers seized the opportunity.
One by one, they began to withdraw from the shop.
But Jian Long paid them no attention and made no attempt to stop them; instead, he focused entirely on refining the Gu worms.
After a few minutes—
outside…
a large crowd gathered in front of the shop, that giant toad, discussing with anxiety and excitement what had happened inside.
But suddenly, the voices died down, and the discussion stopped.
A man approached.
He was in his late twenties, with a relatively long face and a prominent straight nose that gave his features a smooth definition.
His jaw was sharply defined, and his skin was clear with a warm tone, dotted with small moles across his cheek.
His hair was dark and thick, styled back with a natural wave, and in his ear was a simple metal earring—a ring that glinted faintly.
A subtle aura of authority surrounded him.
Suddenly, someone from the crowd shouted while quickly bowing:
"Lord Fang Gong!"
Then he bowed, and the others followed one after another, stepping aside to clear a path for him to enter.
Then he entered the shop, followed by a number of curious Gu Masters.
Inside—
there were only three people:
Jian Long,
Zhou Quan,
and Fang Leng.
The moment Fang Leng saw him, he rushed toward him like a drowning man who had found a lifeline:
"Cousin! Avenge me! This savage attacked me and robbed me! And I suspect he's from the demonic path!"
But Fang Gong's reaction was not what he expected.
He looked at him with a gaze filled with annoyance and disgust.
Deep down, he wanted to beat him just to vent his frustration—this relative had never brought him anything but trouble.
But…
blood was still blood.
And he couldn't do that openly.
With clear indifference, he ignored him.
Then he turned his gaze toward Jian Long, who stood calmly in place.
He walked toward him with measured steps, leaving Fang Leng behind as if he didn't exist.
"I assume you are Jian Long, correct?"
He stopped in front of him, his eyes narrowing slightly:
"It is said—by the testimony of many—that you attacked and robbed Fang Leng."
He paused for a moment, then said in a steady tone:
"Do you have anything to say? Defend yourself."
Although Fang Gong possessed Rank three cultivation—making him one of the higher authorities in the caravan—
and although, in theory, no one would question him even if he killed Jian Long at this moment—
still…
he was careful to maintain his image.
The image of a just man.
Thus, he gave Jian Long a formal chance to defend himself—
a chance that would not change anything about the judgment he had already made.
"First—I did not rob him."
Jian Long said it calmly, but his voice was clear enough to reach everyone present.
"On the contrary, I repeatedly confirmed that I would pay him."
Then he gestured toward Fang Leng without looking at him:
"What happened… is that he tried to rob me in a roundabout way. He wanted to buy a Rank one Gu worm for only fifty primeval stones."
He paused for a moment, then turned his gaze toward the surrounding crowd:
"Does that make sense?"
A low murmur spread among the people, and some exchanged glances before nodding in understanding.
Even with Fang Leng's excuse—that the Gu worm was starving and currently had no food—
that did not justify such a price.
In fact, if this had been inside one of the clan villages…
he wouldn't have even dared to propose such an offer.
Then Jian Long continued, his tone growing sharper:
"Second—this man insulted me repeatedly."
He paused briefly, as if recalling what had happened, then continued:
"I let it go. But he didn't stop… he went further, and even went as far as insulting my clan."
At this point, the atmosphere shifted slightly.
"So do you expect me to stay silent about that?"
Among members of the righteous path—
it was considered virtuous to forgive personal insults.
But…
it was shameful, even sinful, to forgive an insult directed at one's clan.
And so—
Jian Long used this point as the perfect justification for everything he had done.
But at that moment—
Fang Leng quickly intervened:
"I never insulted your clan!"
Jian Long's response came immediately, cold and decisive:
"You're lying."
Before the argument could escalate, Fang Gong stepped in, his voice growing heavier:
"Are you calling my cousin a liar?"
He paused briefly, then continued in a tone carrying hidden pressure:
"Or are you implying that members of my clan are a group of swindlers who rob people? That is a serious accusation against my clan's integrity… and I will not let it pass easily."
His response was calculated—he used the same logic Jian Long relied on… but turned it against him.
But Jian Long did not back down. He spoke firmly:
"I did not insult your clan."
Then he added, meeting his gaze directly:
"All I said… is that Fang Leng is like that. If you think all members of your clan are like him… that is your matter."
Silence fell.
Shock appeared on the faces of those present.
The boldness—and insolence—of replying to Fang Gong in such a manner was enough to make hearts freeze.
"Silence."
Fang Gong cut through the quiet, his voice no longer open to discussion.
"I will not tolerate any more insults."
Then he declared his judgment without hesitation:
"I sentence you to exile from the caravan… after you return the Gu worms to Fang Leng."
It was a decisive judgment.
For him, it was not appropriate—as a Rank three Gu Master—to attack Jian Long directly. But expelling him from the caravan into the wilderness, in this world, was a sentence not much different from death.
Then Fang Gong turned to leave—
but before he could take a step, Jian Long's voice came from behind him:
"Your judgment is unjust… and I will not accept it."
He stopped.
A heavy silence fell over the place.
Then he slowly turned around, his eyes narrowing:
"If you do not carry out what I ordered right now… I will deal with you personally. Do you understand?"
But—
Jian Long did not hesitate.
His voice did not waver, nor did his tone falter.
Instead, he replied calmly and steadily:
"Do as you wish… but I will not accept this judgment."
Then he added, with clear determination:
"And I demand that you reconsider it."
At that moment—
the tension rose to a suffocating level.
Some of the onlookers couldn't bear it—
they hurriedly fled the shop, escaping the imminent battle.
While others remained—
those who possessed strong defensive Gu, confident in their ability to survive.
But despite their different reactions—
one question lingered in everyone's mind:
Had Jian Long lost his mind…?
Or had he simply—
grown tired of living?
To challenge a Rank three Gu Master—
was not ordinary recklessness…
it was a death sentence.
And in the midst of that charged silence—
Fang Gong moved.
He activated a Gu from the fire path—
and in an instant, flames gathered in the air, forming a massive fireball…
like a miniature sun.
The temperature rose terrifyingly—
to the point that the onlookers felt as if their skin was about to burn.
On the other side—
Jian Long did not stand idle.
He activated the Lightning Bubble Gu—
and a sphere of crackling lightning formed around him, flashing with sharp sparks, enclosing him like a living shield.
Fire…
against lightning.
And the next moment—
would decide everything.