"Fang Family Gu Immortals?" Hearing Fang Yun's shout, Fang Yuan's ears twitched slightly.
He had previously scouted that the relationship between these three Gu Immortals—Fang Yun, Fang Leng, and the Defeated Army Old Ghost—seemed rather tense. But Fang Yuan hadn't expected that the three were enemies, and that one of the Fang Family Gu Immortals had apparently been captured.
The reason Fang Yuan had attacked directly was because he had his eyes on the Defeated Army Old Ghost.
This man was a Seventh Transformation Soul Path Gu Immortal. Killing him would let Fang Yuan take his Empty Orifice, adding to his Supreme Empty Orifice's assets and increasing his Soul Path Dao Marks. If he could capture him alive, Fang Yuan could hand his body over to Ying Wuxie to use.
After all, Ying Wuxie excelled at Soul Path methods but was still stuck inhabiting the body of Cui Bo, a Water Path Gu Immortal—it didn't suit him and limited the display of his talents.
But in order to disguise himself and facilitate his future plans for the Green Ghost Desert, as well as to continue deceiving the Heavenly Court and other parties, Fang Yuan had not appeared in his true form.
In an instant, a storm of thoughts surged through Fang Yuan's mind, his reasoning operating at the speed of lightning, and he settled on his decision in a flash.
"Looks like this Free Auspicious Cloud really is something. I was just thinking about reaching out to the Fang Family to build a relationship, and now, like a pillow delivered to someone dozing off, I've been handed this perfect opportunity!"
"Of course, this also has to do with my own strong fortune."
This time, coming to the Green Ghost Desert, Fang Yuan had used the Soul Burning Fortune Explosion killer move once. He hadn't had Ying Wuxie activate it—he'd done it himself. Though it had cost him considerable soul foundation, Fang Yuan could fully sustain it now.
"Save these two Fang Family Gu Immortals, and capture this Demonic Path Gu Immortal called Defeated Army Old Ghost!" Lightning flashed in Fang Yuan's eyes.
He had originally planned to kill them all and absorb the soul beast flock the Defeated Army Old Ghost had gathered.
But now he had changed his mind.
"Fang Family? Although I've never had contact with them, my cultivation has some connection to the Fang Family. Very well—today you've run into me, so I'll save you and repay the debt." Fang Yuan spoke, his voice ice-cold, but Fang Leng and Fang Yun were thrilled upon hearing it.
Fang Yun's eyes went wide, a grin spreading across his face as he looked at Fang Leng, raising his eyebrows repeatedly.
As if saying: "See? He really is my lucky star!"
Fang Leng couldn't be bothered with him. His gaze shifted to Fang Yuan and the Defeated Army Old Ghost, his brow furrowing.
He thought: "This Gu Immortal's origins are mysterious—there's absolutely no record of such a person in my memory or knowledge. If he truly wants to save us and act in our interest, he should have concealed that intention to facilitate the rescue. But he deliberately revealed it. Why? Either he doesn't actually intend to save us and is just saying it to draw the Defeated Army Old Ghost's attention—or he really does mean to save us, but he's proud and arrogant, so confident that even telling the opponent, he still has absolute assurance he can rescue the two of us!"
"Saving people from my grasp won't be easy!" The Defeated Army Old Ghost grew even angrier upon hearing Fang Yuan's words. A powerful aura erupted from his entire body as he charged at Fang Yuan, withstanding the barrage of Burning Thought Flying Stones.
"Brave, but blind." Fang Yuan sneered, soaring into the sky and pointing a finger.
In an instant, dozens of strange beams of light burst forth, riddling the Defeated Army Old Ghost like a sieve.
But the Defeated Army Old Ghost left behind no blood—his figure gradually faded into nothingness.
"Hahaha, you've fallen for it!" On the other side, the Defeated Army Old Ghost's true body appeared. It turned out he had cast an illusion to draw Fang Yuan's attention while his real body hid.
The Defeated Army Old Ghost hadn't chosen to ambush Fang Yuan—he had moved toward Fang Leng and Fang Yun instead.
Hadn't Fang Yuan said he wanted to save the two of them? The Defeated Army Old Ghost immediately thought to use them as human shields.
This was the Defeated Army Old Ghost's first encounter with Fang Yuan, but their brief clash and the sheer scale of the soul beast army under Fang Yuan's command were enough to tell him that Fang Yuan was incredibly powerful. In a direct confrontation, he probably wouldn't stand a chance.
So he planned to use Fang Leng and Fang Yun to make Fang Yuan—who intended to rescue them—hesitate and submit to his threats.
"Damn it!" Seeing the Defeated Army Old Ghost approach with lightning speed, Fang Yun cried out in alarm.
But in the blink of an eye, a figure materialized from nothingness, appearing before the two immortals.
It was none other than Fang Yuan, having changed his appearance!
"Defeated Army Old Ghost, who exactly has fallen for the trap?" The corner of Fang Yuan's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a sinister smile.
"Not good!" The Defeated Army Old Ghost's heart lurched violently as he realized he had fallen for his opponent's scheme. He hurriedly tried to change direction.
But it was already too late.
Nearly ten soul beasts suddenly materialized in midair, forming an encirclement that trapped the Defeated Army Old Ghost completely.
"Explode for me." Fang Yuan's thoughts stirred lightly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every soul beast self-detonated, their terrifying power leaving Fang Leng and Fang Yun stunned.
After the explosions, the surging air currents formed into massive shockwaves that hurtled in every direction.
For a time, dust and sand billowed across the desert, yellow sand rolling in great clouds, while the dark clouds overhead were blown apart, scattering and swirling in all directions.
Fang Yuan had originally planned to use Wisdom Path methods to capture the Defeated Army Old Ghost alive.
But then he reconsidered—these Wisdom Path methods had mainly come from Purple Mountain True Lord. He had already used one move, the Burning Thought Flying Stone, which could still be disguised. After all, the effects produced by this move had changed considerably after Fang Yuan's improvements, making it possible to conceal. But if he used any other Wisdom Path methods, the chances of being discovered would become much higher.
So Fang Yuan abandoned the Wisdom Path and turned to the Soul Path instead.