"Fellow Immortal ahead, please wait!" Qi Zai called out in a loud voice from atop the desolate beast — a Qi Path lion.
Fang Yuan stopped in his tracks and looked back.
Ever since leaving Muddy Mountain, he had deactivated the immortal path killing move Acquaintance at First Sight.
The Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu, Attitude Gu, consumed mental energy to activate, and using it for extended periods would leave Fang Yuan mentally drained.
What's more, his modified version of Acquaintance at First Sight lacked a Transformation Immortal Gu, which meant the Gu Insects involved numbered in the thousands — auxiliary mortal Gu that all had to be kept constantly active, demanding an enormous amount of attention.
So when Qi Zai spotted Fang Yuan from afar, he didn't consider him the true culprit — at most, he was somewhat suspicious.
As they drew closer, Qi He also caught sight of Fang Yuan.
There he stood in pristine white robes, spotless and immaculate. His skin was pale as snow, his eyes bright as stars, and a cascade of jet-black hair tumbled like a waterfall down to his waist.
Though Qi He was already well past fifty and showing his age, the sight of Fang Yuan made his eyes light up. He thought to himself, "This senior Gu Immortal has such a stunning bearing — truly celestial and Daoist-like. I've never seen anyone like him in all my life!"
"What business does the senior have with me?" Fang Yuan asked, his expression flat as he cupped his hands in greeting.
He hadn't used Acquaintance at First Sight — only his Sixth Transformation cultivation was on display.
But Qi Zai radiated the aura of a Seventh Transformation Gu Immortal.
In this world, the strong commanded respect. Fang Yuan bowing first was the natural thing to do — graceful and proper. To stand with hands clasped behind one's back in an arrogant posture would be a rare oddity.
Qi Zai, too, silently admired Fang Yuan's bearing. His expression softened somewhat as he said, "I only wish to verify a few things."
As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve and a mud ball shot out.
The mud ball swelled in the wind, quickly growing to the size of an elephant. Another transformation followed, and it took the form of a mud person — Ni Jian.
Fang Yuan's gaze darkened slightly.
Ni Jian looked toward Fang Yuan. First came confusion in his eyes, which swiftly turned into an overwhelming, seething hatred.
Though Fang Yuan had drastically changed his appearance, a gut instinct deep within told Ni Jian that this youth before him was the killer!
"It's you. It's you, you monster! You drove my grandfather to death and slaughtered my entire clan!"
With that, Ni Jian charged headlong at Fang Yuan.
"Oh?" Qi Zai's spirit stirred. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes as he scrutinized Fang Yuan once more.
Fang Yuan felt Qi Zai's gaze pressing on him like needles piercing his skin.
With a cold snort, he swept his long sleeve. Billowing white clouds surged forth, obscuring his vision, and he retreated rapidly through the mist.
"Immortal Gu Masters truly have endless tricks — impossible to guard against. He actually managed to find me?"
The opponent was a Seventh Transformation Gu Immortal, a full rank above Fang Yuan.
Without a doubt, this was a dangerous enemy.
Fang Yuan immediately considered retreat.
"Don't you flee!" Qi Zai barked. His right hand formed an eagle claw shape and he seized at the cloud-filled air with a vicious grab.
Whoosh!
It sounded like a massive wave crashing.
The clouds blanketing the sky dissipated in the blink of an eye.
Fang Yuan, still in mid-retreat, was exposed.
Qi Zai opened his mouth and inhaled toward Fang Yuan from a distance.
Fang Yuan instantly felt an enormous suction force clamping down on his entire body, causing his speed to plummet.
At that moment, the mud person Ni Jian came hurtling toward him, already within striking distance.
Fang Yuan's eyes narrowed. His expression remained calm, betraying not a hint of emotion.
"Die!" Ni Jian threw a punch. Whoosh — the fist wind howled!
The strike was ferocious, carrying a momentum that could split mountains and shatter stone.
Ni Jian had originally been just a Second Transformation Gu Master, but after being killed by the beast horde, Qi Zai had used a mud monster's corpse to reconstruct him as a mud person.
His strength had surged to the level of a Desolate Beast — enough to rival an ordinary Sixth Transformation Gu Master.
From this alone, one could see how cunning and formidable the methods of Seventh Transformation Gu Immortal Qi Zai truly were.
Ni Jian's fist struck Fang Yuan squarely.
But in the next instant, Fang Yuan's figure dissolved, transforming into a wisp of cloud.
Qi He let out a cry of surprise, his expression shocked — he hadn't anticipated this.
Qi Zai, however, showed no surprise at all. He turned his gaze to the front right and flicked a finger.
Mortal Path Killing Move — Snap Finger Divine Power.
A qi pellet no larger than a thumbnail, but traveling at such tremendous speed that Fang Yuan couldn't dodge. The strike found its mark.
This time, his true form was finally exposed.
Qi Zai exhaled once more.
Around Ni Jian's waist, a thick ring of semi-transparent air currents coiled instantly. The currents spun ceaselessly around his midsection, multiplying Ni Jian's speed several times over.
"Give me your life!" Ni Jian roared, charging at Fang Yuan again.
Fang Yuan frowned.
His entire body was sheathed in a layer of Lion Hair Armor. The earlier Snap Finger Divine Power hadn't actually harmed him — it had merely forced him out of hiding.
"So he's a Qi Path Gu Immortal..." Fang Yuan thought to himself.
The Qi Path had an even longer history than the Strength Path, and its decline had been even more severe.
He hadn't expected to encounter such a rare Qi Path Gu Immortal here in the modern Southern Border.
No wonder he'd been caught. The truth about the Ni clan massacre had been exposed as well. The Qi Path, with its long and storied lineage, naturally possessed hidden means that Fang Yuan couldn't fathom.
"But what does my slaughter of the Ni clan have to do with these two Gu Immortals? In my memories, the Ni clan doesn't have any Gu Immortal ancestors." Fang Yuan was bewildered.
"AAAARGH!" Ni Jian charged in once more.
Fang Yuan felt a headache coming on.