Outside the window, the moon shone bright, but inside the study, the candlelight felt cool.
Wu Yong paced back and forth in his study.
Troubled thoughts churned in his heart, impossible to set aside.
Today, Wu Yong's cultivation stood at the Eighth Transformation. He wielded the Wu Family's authority, and with the Jade-Clear Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower, he single-handedly helped the Wu Family weather its crisis. He had also reclaimed the Southern Border's major righteous path Immortal Gu from Heaven Court, his prestige unmatched. In recent times, he had governed diligently, actively cultivating Gu Immortal seeds, making the Wu Family flourish ever more. What was there to trouble him?
Fang Yuan!
Disguised as Wu Yihai, he had deceived even Wu Yong himself, swindling the Wu Family of countless resources—even Immortal Gu. He had run circles around the entire Wu Family, and when Wu Yong subsequently pursued him, it yielded absolutely nothing.
Fang Yuan was like a thorn in Wu Yong's heart. Every time Wu Yong thought of him, his heart would sting with humiliation, fury, and hatred.
This time, Fang Yuan had suddenly become active in the Southern Border, destroying the great formation in the Shadow Plunder Trench and seizing every last dream. On the surface, Wu Yong appeared calm and composed, but in truth, that thorn had already pierced his heart until it bled freely!
"The Supreme Elder of the Merchant Family's method can indeed counter Fang Yuan's Fixed Immortal Travel. But..."
Wu Yong frowned, pacing and shaking his head.
He always felt it was unreliable. Could such a method truly eliminate Fang Yuan?
He recalled how he had once united the Southern Border's righteous path forces to hunt Fang Yuan—zero results. He remembered how Heaven Court had repeatedly attempted to capture him, yet Fang Yuan remained at large. Now, with a single joint action by the Southern Border's righteous path, they could actually handle Fang Yuan?
Wu Yong shook his head.
He admitted that, on one hand, he had grown somewhat wary of Fang Yuan. This demonic fiend—every time he appeared, his strength underwent a quantum leap. He truly could not be measured by common sense.
On the other hand, Wu Yong lacked confidence in the entire Southern Border righteous path.
The Wu Family stood at the head of the Southern Border's righteous path. Wu Yong had grown under Wu Duxiu's guidance—how could he not see the righteous path's flaws!
Everyone had their own agenda. Factions proliferated, contradictions ran deep. Without being pushed to the absolute brink, a unified leader would never emerge.
Even the Wu Family—even with Wu Duxiu still alive, joining hands with Wu Yong—could not fill that role.
Wu Yong could well imagine that when the day of action truly arrived, the Southern Border's righteous path Gu Immortals would eye each other with suspicion, shirk responsibility, yield when there was risk, and scramble when there was profit. How could such a team possibly deal with a creature as cunning as Fang Yuan?
Especially now—only the Chi Family had suffered Fang Yuan's plunder, while the other families felt no personal sting. And with the Earth Veins shifting, every family was competing to seize their essence. How could any of them devote real strength against Fang Yuan?
"Or perhaps Fang Yuan saw through this as well. That's why he only plundered the Chi Family this time!"
Wu Yong's heart sank.
From this perspective, he actually wished Fang Yuan would plunder far and wide, enraging every power. But unfortunately, Fang Yuan remained this cunning, offending only the Chi Family alone.
If Wu Yong knew that Fang Yuan had not only robbed the Chi Family but also secretly conducted trades with them—laying groundwork for the future five-region chaotic war in the Southern Border, targeting Heaven Court—what would he think then?
After pacing for a good while, Wu Yong finally steeled his resolve: "I must contact Heaven Court. Through their hand, I will eliminate Fang Yuan as soon as possible!"
Making this decision was extremely difficult.
Though it was wise—the enemy of one's enemy was one's friend—it violated a taboo. Of the five great regions, all but the Eastern Sea were fiercely xenophobic, and the Southern Border was the worst.
If the Southern Border's major powers and Gu Immortals learned that Wu Yong intended to contact forces from another region, using outside help to meddle in Southern Border affairs, he would face a firestorm of condemnation. The tidal wave of public opinion would drown Wu Yong—even as the Wu Family's Supreme Elder with Eighth Transformation cultivation, he would not be exempt.
It could be said that Wu Yong was taking an enormous risk. If exposed, the Wu Family's current excellent standing could be largely destroyed.
"Oh? Wu Yong is reaching out to me? I imagine it's about that demonic fiend Fang Yuan..." Ziwei Fairy was recuperating, but seeing Wu Yong's initiative, she smiled faintly and immediately responded.
Wu Yong held a special position as the Wu Family's Supreme Elder. Exerting influence over him—even without immediate results—was itself a form of restraint. The cooperation alone served that purpose.
After a brief exchange, Wu Yong went straight to the point, raising the matter of Fang Yuan.
Ziwei Fairy thought: "Just as expected. Fang Yuan possesses Fixed Immortal Travel, and after I exposed his various trump cards in the Treasure Yellow Heaven, Wu Yong has grown even more wary—willing to take the risk just to eliminate Fang Yuan."
Heaven Court's current situation was not particularly good.