Northern Plains.
The blessed land of the Chu family's headquarters.
"The Supreme Grand Elder is still in seclusion? Today is the day of the challenge!" Chou Laowu kept rubbing his hands together. He had a thin, gaunt build with a slight hunch in his back, and his face was already naturally downtrodden — now, overlaid with worry, he looked even more miserable.
"Relax. The Supreme Grand Elder accepted Black Moon's challenge, so why would he back down at the last moment? You and I just need to wait patiently." Hao Zhen folded his arms and leaned against the wall, his expression solemn.
He appeared middle-aged, with a full beard and a broad, powerful frame. He and Chou Laowu were close friends, and together they wielded a signature killing move called the Wind Thunder Roar.
Because of this, the two of them were jointly known as the Wind Thunder Twin Fiends. After pledging loyalty to Chu Du, they had become the strongest fighting force in the Chu family, second only to Chu Du himself.
"Actually, perhaps... declining the fight wouldn't be the worst thing," Wang Daxian suddenly murmured from the side.
He was short in stature, with narrow triangular eyes and a bulbous red nose from drink. He was a Transformation Path Gu Immortal who specialized in transforming into dogs.
"What did you say?!" Hao Zhen flew into a rage at these words. He strode forward, closing the distance to Wang Daxian, and glared down at him with narrowed eyes. "The Supreme Grand Elder is not the kind of person who dodges a fight! He is the great Chu Du — do you want him to throw away his reputation?"
As he spoke, Hao Zhen reached out with both hands, grabbed Wang Daxian by the collar, and lifted him straight off the ground.
Wang Daxian immediately grew furious as well. "Let go! You brute — if you don't let go, don't blame me for using a killing move!"
Seeing that things were about to escalate, Chou Laowu hurriedly restrained Hao Zhen, while Li Sichun steadied Wang Daxian.
Li Sichun had a square face, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a straight nose bridge. Dense black chest hair spilled out from his open collar, yet despite being male, he wore a flowered skirt.
He pinched his fingers into an orchid gesture and called out in a delicate voice, "Oh my, oh my, please stop fighting, won't you? I'm already so on edge, and if you start brawling among yourselves, then our Chu family will really be in trouble."
Wang Daxian let out a cold snort and flung off Li Sichun's hand. "We are already in crisis. This is precisely why we must be cautious! If the Supreme Grand Elder were still a lone wanderer, then whether he fights or not would be none of our concern. But he isn't anymore — he is our Chu family's Supreme Grand Elder! Do you have any idea what the consequences would be if he lost? You brute!"
Hao Zhen let out a cold snort but did not respond.
Because he knew that what Wang Daxian said was not wrong.
Chu Du had originally founded the Chu Sect, which was a proper sect organization. Using his methods, he had first invited various Gu Immortal to join forces against Hundred Legs Heavenly Lord — only to later join hands with Hundred Legs Heavenly Lord, pressuring and coercing those same Gu Immortal into establishing the Chu Sect.
His methods could truly be called turning clouds with a flip of his hand and rain with another.
After founding the Chu Sect, Chu Du swiftly won over hearts one by one through sheer personal charisma and skill.
But the good times did not last. Due to pressure from Longevity Heaven and the Golden Tribe, Chu Du had no choice but to restructure the Chu Sect into the Chu family.
As a result, Chu Du took all the Strength Path Gu Immortal he had previously cultivated and adopted them as his sons, abolishing the sect system and governing through a family structure.
Even so, because Chu Du himself had no biological children, the Chu family continued to face suspicion and suppression.
To address this, Chu Du personally participated in the Battle of Destiny, which stabilized the Chu family's position.
Now, however, the situation had shifted once more.
With the Destiny Gu destroyed, rumors of Giant Sun Immortal Zombie's resurrection grew ever louder. Longevity Heaven had issued the Longevity Decree, mobilizing the Northern Plains Righteous Path to forcibly conscript independent cultivators and Demonic Path Gu Immortal, attempting to unify the entire Northern Plains Gu Immortal world.
The independent cultivators and Demonic Path Gu Immortal were deeply resentful of this. They already harbored strong aversion to the Golden Families.
This, in turn, made the Hundred Legs family and the Chu family far more attractive.
Many Gu Immortal were alone and isolated. Under pressure, they would rather join the Chu family or the Hundred Legs family than submit to the great Golden Tribes.
Chu Du himself had started out as an independent cultivator, and Hundred Legs Heavenly Lord of the Hundred Legs family was the same.
Both families benefited greatly from this, expanding their numbers considerably.
This, in turn, drew yet another veiled warning from Longevity Heaven.
"Sigh, where did this Black Moon Fairy come from? Her origins are mysterious — as if she sprang from between the rocks. No one has been able to trace her background to this day."
"The Northern Plains are vast. It's hardly surprising that a hidden talent could emerge. But the fact that she dares challenge our Supreme Grand Elder — now that's truly seeking her own humiliation!"
"Not necessarily. Looking at it objectively, she is genuinely formidable. Since entering the public eye, she has challenged major powerhouses one after another and has not suffered a single defeat. Her combat strength is extraordinary. In her most recent bout, she even defeated Liu Chang. In virtually every battle, Black Moon Fairy has debuted impressive new methods. That Totem killing move is her trump card — according to rumor, she is very likely a successor of Wild Force."
Chou Laowu, Li Sichun, and the others discussed among themselves.
Right now, Hei Loulan's momentum was enormous. She had won victory after victory, displaying combat power at the Peak Stage of the Seventh Transformation that rivaled the Eighth Transformation! And because of the rumors about her being Wild Force's successor, she had effectively overshadowed Chu Du in overall prestige.
"People like Black Moon Fairy — I've seen through her long ago. She is wildly ambitious, gathering all manner of people around her, fighting her way to fame. At this point, she has become the standard-bearer and figurehead of the Demonic Path and independent cultivators. Challenging Lord Chu Du was inevitable. If not now, it would have happened sooner or later. Because the moment she wins, her prestige will surge at least twofold, and she will be able to command the loyalty of independent and Demonic Gu Immortal throughout the Northern Plains!" Hao Zhen analyzed.
Under the coercion, the Demonic and independent Gu Immortal who were willing to join the Northern Plains Righteous Path had essentially all done so already.
Those who remained were the stubborn holdouts.
But these stubborn types were all formidable in their own right — after all, without strength, one had no qualification to be stubborn.
And in the hearts of such holdouts, Chu Du — a man who had established a Righteous Path family, aligned himself with the Golden Tribes, and even participated in the Battle of Destiny — was clearly nothing more than Longenery Heaven's lackey. Compared to the Golden Families, he was in fact even more despicable.
If Black Moon Fairy defeated Chu Du, she would win the hearts of the people on a scale far exceeding what a victory over Liu Chang could ever bring.