Southern Border.
Wuyi Mountain, the Wu Family's stronghold.
Inside the reception hall.
Ke Xinhong smiled warmly as he bowed with composed grace. "Ke Xinhong greets the Grand Elder of the Wu Family."
Wu Yong sat upright, also offering a smile. "The envoy is too courteous."
Ke Xinhong then got straight to the point. "I have come bearing the Fan Wind Gu, as instructed. It has been successfully refined. Your family is welcome to verify it at any time."
Wu Yong felt a flicker of surprise inward. Could it really be so fast? Had that scoundrel Fang Yuan mastered some method of producing counterfeit Immortal Gu and sent it here to deceive them?
He took the Gu and examined it carefully, scrutinizing every detail. He found no flaws whatsoever.
It truly was an Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu. But to think Fang Yuan could refine an Eighth Transformation Gu in such a short time? Wu Yong didn't dare be too certain.
In his mind, Fang Yuan embodied cunning, deviousness, baseness, shamelessness, and ruthlessness. The greatest demon in the world could never be measured by conventional standards.
"Please wait a moment, envoy. We need our Gu Immortals to verify it," Wu Yong said thoughtfully.
The Wu Family had Gu Immortals who specialized in the Refinement Path, though their strength was modest.
The Wu Family was never known for the Refinement Path — the Wind Path was their forte. Not just in the Southern Border, but across all five domains, the Wu Family stood among the very best in Wind Path mastery.
After the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Wu Yong received word: the Eighth Transformation Fan Wind Gu had been verified without issue. It was the genuine article.
Wu Yong's feelings grew complicated.
Immortal Gu were unique — and Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu were so difficult to refine that they carried enormous significance!
An ordinary Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal might not even possess a single Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu. Take Snow Beard Old Ancestor, for example. In order to refine the Fortune Condensing Heaven Gu, he had wrecked his own long-established Snow Beard Blessed Land.
Of course, that was partly because his ambition had touched upon the interests of Heavenly Court and Changsheng Tian.
"Although the recent years have seen tremendous upheaval — the merging of the five domains, the churning of earth veins, the sweeping qi tides, and the emergence of vast quantities of immortal materials — it is very likely that the number of Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu will increase. But for ordinary Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals, especially rogue immortals, obtaining even one Eighth Transformation Gu remains exceedingly difficult."
"To think that our Wu Family has gained yet another Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu."
Wu Yong felt a measure of joy, but his wariness toward Fang Yuan grew even sharper.
"Though I already knew that Fang Yuan had swallowed the Langya Sect whole, his attainment in the Refinement Path is clearly extraordinary. The way he refined this Eighth Transformation Fan Wind Gu gave me the impression he found it effortless."
Ke Xinhong continued: "Now that verification is complete, which two Immortal Gu would your family like to refine next? I can bring them back this time."
Wu Yong hesitated.
Should he hand over the Seven Face Dignity Gu to Ke Xinhong?
If it could be upgraded into the Eight Face Dignity Gu, the boost to Wu Yong would be tremendous. But precisely because of that, the Seven Face Dignity Gu was of critical importance.
If he gave it to Fang Yuan and the man simply kept it for himself, what then?
"Actually, when I think about it, there are many options." In that moment, Wu Yong felt that three Gu were far too few. He wished he could elevate every single Immortal Gu the Wu Family possessed to the Eighth Transformation level!
"I hadn't anticipated your side would be so swift. This has caught me off guard, and I need some time for careful deliberation. I would ask the envoy to stay as our guest and wait three days," Wu Yong said.
Wu Bachong, upon hearing this, immediately chimed in, persuading Ke Xinhong. "Come to think of it, this is already the third time you've visited our Wu Family. Please allow us to extend our hospitality."
"Very well." Ke Xinhong nodded with a smile. "I've long admired the Wu Family's style, so I shall impose on your generosity. As for the Grand Elder's concerns, I completely understand. In fact, I carry another mission as well. Would your family be interested in conducting yet another trade with us?"
"What trade?" Wu Yong's guard went up immediately.
He recalled the Heaven Secret Realm Hu Di — a treasure that could be considered a quasi-Ninth Transformation Immortal Gu — which Fang Yuan had forcibly purchased away from them.
Just thinking about it made Wu Yong's heart start to ache again.
Ke Xinhong laid out the details, and Wu Yong fell into deep thought.
Wu Bachong blurted out: "What?! Fang Yuan wants to directly dig away our Wu Family's great mountains? And in exchange, he'll refine Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu for us?"
"Exactly," Ke Xinhong confirmed with a nod.
Wu Bachong sneered: "How can that be acceptable? Every one of our great mountains is at least a major resource point. Most are massive resource points, and a few are even super resource points that can produce Eighth Transformation immortal materials! You may be able to refine Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu, but you're upgrading Gu that our family already possesses — you're not giving us any new ones."
"Moreover, feeding Immortal Gu is exceedingly difficult, and Eighth Transformation Gu even more so. Even once refined, they only consume resources. But great mountain resource points continuously produce resources, practically never running dry. You want to dig away our mountains? That's cutting at our very roots! What exactly are you scheming?"
By the last words, Wu Bachong was practically shouting accusations.
Ke Xinhong was fully prepared and spoke with calm eloquence. "Not at all. Elder Wu Bachong, you're being far too pessimistic. Take a calm, rational look at the situation. In recent times, many of your family's Gu Master seeds have successfully ascended to immortality — but only six, and most of them were from outside clans."
"The number of Gu Immortals has grown, but your family's territory is vast. It still isn't enough to garrison. In that case, why not simply sell off some territory? That way, the Wu Family would not only possess higher-transformation Immortal Gu, but also have its manpower distributed more efficiently."
"Furthermore," Ke Xinhong continued, "Immortal Gu are unique. The Elder surely knows just how rare Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu are. Immortal materials can be traded for, but can Immortal Gu be freely bought and sold? Being unique, they can only be exchanged for one another. Even so, Baohuang Heaven is the greatest marketplace in the world — tell me, how many Immortal Gu exchanges have actually taken place there in recent years?"
"The five domains have merged, and future wars are inevitable. A Gu Immortal's combat strength is what matters most. Only by preserving yourselves can you discuss anything else. Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu will dramatically elevate your family's power — not only can you protect yourselves, you could even encroach upon your neighbors and profit handsomely from the spoils of war."