Xue'er was a rising talent of the Snow Tribe, a favored daughter of heaven, but the Snow Tribe's weak resources were an undeniable fact.
For someone her age, reaching the Sixth Transformation was already an impressive achievement. However, when spending time with Ying Wuxie, she couldn't help but feel inferior — her cultivation was simply no match for a Seventh Transformation cultivator. Though Xue'er showed nothing on the surface, she felt quite oppressed in her heart.
Now, seeing a Sixth Transformation female immortal, her suppressed feelings naturally eased somewhat.
"Hello, you can call me Xue'er." Xue'er greeted her first, thinking she should build good relations with the people around Fang Yuan.
"Hello, you can call me Loulan." Hei Loulan smiled, her eyes flickering as she discreetly sized up Xue'er.
She was thinking to herself: "A Snow Tribe Gu Immortal? Why is she approaching us of her own accord? What is Fang Yuan trying to do?"
The matter of the Snow Tribe wanting to ally with Fang Yuan through marriage — Fang Yuan had only informed Ying Wuxie, not the other members. So Hei Loulan only knew that Fang Yuan wanted the Shadow Sect immortals to accept Xue'er, and that they were to help each other while actively exploring Tai Qiu in the coming period.
"Alright, now that you've met, let's leave for now." Ying Wuxie spoke up.
She took out a message-path Gu Insect, employed a small technique, and immediately learned Fairy Miao Yin and Miss White Rabbit's locations.
"Hei Loulan, you go about your business. I'll take Xue'er to meet the others."
Watching Ying Wuxie and Xue'er leave, Hei Loulan suddenly had a thought.
Her intuition told her that Xue'er's joining was baffling, and her purpose didn't seem simple at all.
Hei Loulan had the nature of a formidable leader. Though she had been forced into an oath and lost her freedom, in truth she wanted nothing more than to escape Fang Yuan's control at every waking moment.
Freedom — who wouldn't yearn for it?
"Wait, let me come with you. I'm in charge of tracking down the Tusked Pig, but I haven't been able to find it. I might as well have Miao Yin help me search." Hei Loulan said, hurrying over directly.
Xue'er was delighted. She felt she could get closer to Hei Loulan more easily.
Hei Loulan also wanted to probe her for information, so she played along with a warm and friendly attitude.
Thus, Ying Wuxie led the way while Xue'er and Hei Loulan walked together behind her.
"Sister Loulan, I'm really happy to have met you." Before long, Xue'er was already calling Loulan "Sister," adopting a very humble posture.
"What a foolish woman..." Hei Loulan scoffed inwardly.
She was once the victor of the King's Court, bearing a sea-deep blood feud, having struggled to survive under her father Hei Cheng's shadow for years. She was far more skilled in scheming. Compared to her, Xue'er had grown up within the Snow Tribe and was, in terms of temperament, much more innocent.
Hei Loulan quickly discovered that Xue'er was eager to learn about the Shadow Sect immortals.
She exploited this desire, sharing some valuable information, then used the opportunity to draw out Xue'er's own secrets.
Xue'er certainly had her guard up, but she was no match for Hei Loulan's cunning. Just as she was about to be exposed, Ying Wuxie suddenly interrupted: "Isn't that the Tusked Pig? Hei Loulan, you're in luck — this time you won't owe Miao Yin a favor."
Following Ying Wuxie's pointed finger, Xue'er indeed spotted an ancient desolate beast.
This Tusked Pig was enormous, its muscles knotted and coiled, lounging on the ground in a midday nap, exuding an extraordinary aura.
Xue'er's heart skipped a beat. With her combat power, she wouldn't stand a chance against the Tusked Pig.
Being interrupted soured Hei Loulan's mood, but she couldn't very well argue back at Ying Wuxie, so she snorted coldly and charged straight at the Tusked Pig.
"Be careful, Sister Loulan!" Xue'er called out with concern, secretly marveling at the courage of this newly acquainted Sister Loulan. But she only had Sixth Transformation cultivation — how could she handle the Tusked Pig? It seemed she would have to rely on Fairy Cui Bo after all.
But what happened next left Xue'er completely stunned.
Hei Loulan's aura was fiercer than the Tusked Pig's own. When she fought, her demeanor transformed entirely — flames roared around her, surging and overwhelming, carrying a terrifying air of burning the heavens and annihilating the earth.
"Sixth Transformation Immortal Gu, Seventh Transformation Immortal Gu... so many Immortal Gu!" Watching from the sidelines, Xue'er's eyelids twitched as she realized just how wealthy Hei Loulan was.
Hei Loulan had inherited the legacy and Immortal Gu of the Sky-Burning Demoness. Fang Yuan hadn't taken them from her — he had enough Immortal Gu of his own, so it was better to leave them with Hei Loulan for now, having her work to gather souls on his behalf.
Under Hei Loulan's savage onslaught, the Tusked Pig went from enraged to frenzied, and finally defeated, fleeing in a panic.
Xue'er was utterly shocked.
The combat power Hei Loulan had erupted with was already at the level of a Seventh Transformation powerhouse. This far exceeded Xue'er's expectations.
"Sister Loulan... so powerful! Her various Immortal Dao killing moves are extraordinarily potent, incredibly fierce."
"But wait — she clearly has a Strength Path aura. Why is she using Flame Path techniques?"
Amid the shock, confusion arose.
Xue'er couldn't make sense of it!
Fairy Cui Bo had a Water Path aura but used Soul Path methods. And now this Hei Loulan was clearly a Strength Path Gu Immortal, yet she was using Flame Path!
"Alright, let's set off." After a while, Hei Loulan stored the Tusked Pig's corpse — and naturally, the ancient desolate soul was not spared either.
"Sister Loulan, you're amazing!" Xue'er stared at Hei Loulan with a gaze full of amazement.
Hei Loulan shook her head: "This is nothing."
"No, no, no — you really are amazing. With only Sixth Transformation cultivation, your combat power reaches Seventh Transformation. Not just any Gu Immortal can achieve that." Xue'er quickly waved her hands.
Hei Loulan smiled bitterly: "This really is nothing. In our Shadow Sect, I'm quite ordinary."
Hearing this answer, Xue'er was shaken to her core.
Hei Loulan: "When you meet the others later, you'll understand. Let's go."
Hei Loulan had already completed her mission, but instead of heading back directly, she decided to go with Xue'er to find the other Shadow Sect Gu Immortals.
After a while, they successfully rendezvoused with Fairy Miao Yin and Miss White Rabbit.
Miss White Rabbit was normally at the Sixth Transformation level and didn't have Hei Loulan's combat power, so exploring Tai Qiu alone would be too dangerous.