Inside the cave.
Li Xian invited Fang Yuan to a seat and sat down beside him.
"Please, have some tea." Li Xian extended his short, thick fingers. With a flick of his palm, a cup of fragrant tea appeared resting on his open hand.
Fang Yuan looked at the tea but didn't move to take it. Instead, he sighed. "The Sky-Bound Gu from the Eastern Sea is truly useful. This Gu not only has a vast capacity far exceeding others of its grade, but its retrieval is also quick and convenient."
"Oh? I didn't expect the Little Beast King to recognize this Gu." A subtle flicker passed through Li Xian's eyes.
He wasn't originally from the Southern Border but had drifted here from the Eastern Sea. The Sky-Bound Gu was a Gu Insect unique to the Eastern Sea and quite rare even there.
When dealing with others, Li Xian often used this Gu to showcase his capabilities.
Southern Border Gu Masters unfamiliar with this Gu would usually hold Li Xian in higher regard upon witnessing such a display.
Fang Yuan smiled faintly and spoke slowly. "This Fourth Transformation Sky-Bound Gu is refined from the Third Transformation Void-Store Gu. The success rate is quite low, making it rare even in the Eastern Sea. If one wishes to advance the Sky-Bound Gu further to the Fifth Transformation, the best method is to refine it together with a Sky-Well Gu to create the Fifth Transformation Sky-Bound Well Gu. However, the Sky-Well Gu is a natural Gu only found on Sky-Well Island in the Eastern Sea. For you, Li Xian, advancing it would be troublesome. In the entire Southern Border, only the Yi Family might possibly possess a Sky-Well Gu."
The Yi Family was one of the super-families, alongside the Shang, Wu, and Tie Families, and maintained close ties with Eastern Sea forces. Their trade was booming, second only to the Shang Family. Their Flying Blue Whale caravans traveled exclusively by air routes, a capability even the Shang Family lacked.
"Void-Store Gu, Sky-Well Gu, Sky-Bound Well Gu, and Sky-Well Island... How does the Little Beast King know all this so clearly?" Hearing Fang Yuan's words, Li Xian felt both shocked and suspicious.
The world of Gu Masters was incredibly vast. Great chasms and barriers separated the Southern Border, Northern Plains, Eastern Sea, Western Desert, and Central Continent, making communication difficult and information scarce.
Li Xian had already investigated Fang Yuan's background. Fang Yuan was a native of the Southern Border, yet so young—how could he possess such extensive knowledge? He even seemed intimately familiar with the Eastern Sea!
Unconsciously, a subtle pressure arose in Li Xian's heart.
"Strange, very strange! What is this Little Beast King's true background? How does he know so much? Could there be a powerful figure behind him?"
"With his age and experience, how could he possibly know such details? Ah, yes. He spent some time with the Shang Family. It's highly likely he received guidance from Shang Yanfei. Shang Yanfei is the Shang Family Head, a Fifth Transformation High Stage Gu Master, a peak powerhouse of the mortal world. Under his guidance, it's not surprising the Little Beast King knows these things."
Li Xian's gaze flickered rapidly, his mind shrouded in doubt. He sat rigidly, still holding the purple clay teacup in his palm.
"Wait!" Suddenly, a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning—he realized the crux of the matter. "My original intent was to show off my abilities and gain an edge. I never expected the Little Beast King to unsettle me and make me paranoid with just a few words! Even if Shang Yanfei stands behind him, so what? Others might fear him, but I, Li Xian, have my own capabilities! Hmph."
He gave a soft mental snort and placed the teacup on the table. Using this moment, he steadied his mind.
As an elite of the Demonic Path, he adjusted his emotions in just a few breaths, once again facing Fang Yuan with calm composure.
Only now, his eyes held an added measure of caution and gravity.
"Little Beast King, please drink your tea. What transaction do you wish to discuss with me this time?" Li Xian asked.
"Don't overthink it. It's just an ordinary trade." As he spoke, Fang Yuan took out Gu Insects from his Empty Orifice and displayed them for Li Xian to see.
These Gu Insects were the spoils of battle he had taken from Gu Masters he killed during the Dog King's Inheritance.
There were Third Transformation and Fourth Transformation ones, but none were suitable for Fang Yuan's strength-based path.
Seeing these Gu, Li Xian's eyelids twitched slightly.
He was a very shrewd individual and immediately grasped much. "I didn't expect this Little Beast King to be skilled in the Slavery Path as well! Entering the Dog King's Inheritance and killing two Gu Masters. Such talent is... truly monstrous!"
Li Xian couldn't help but think of Mo Wutian.
Having come to the Southern Border and mingled within the Demonic Path for so long, he had encountered all sorts of people. In terms of aptitude, talent, and temperament among the younger generation of the Demonic Path, he had always considered Mo Wutian the foremost.
But today, he realized that the Little Beast King before him possessed talent equal to Mo Wutian's!
"Little Beast King and Mo Wutian—if these two ever clashed, what would that be like? Although, the Little Beast King's cultivation is a bit weaker for now. Mo Wutian is older and already at the peak of the Fourth Transformation."
Li Xian pondered internally, but said aloud with an excited tone, "Little Beast King, coming to trade with me, Li, was absolutely the right choice. I happen to have a Gu Insect on hand right now that you will find very useful."
"Oh?" Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Li Xian then opened his palm, revealing a ball.
The ball was quite impressive in appearance, reflecting a bright, platinum-like radiance. Looking closely, Fang Yuan discerned that it was an ant ball, formed by over a hundred flying ants clinging and crawling over each other.
These flying ants looked similar to ordinary ants, except for being several times larger and possessing an additional pair of transparent membranous wings.
"This is the Third Transformation Gold-Eating Flying Ant Gu, totaling one hundred and twenty. Those old fossils from the Iron Family have trapped Lord Bai Sha using the Iron Cabinet Gu combined with the Qi-Transforming Gu. The area, a hundred zhang in diameter, is currently sealed. However, before this swarm of flying ants, the Iron Cabinet Gu will crumble. Little Beast King, I just calculated—the price of the Gu Insects you're selling is exactly enough to buy this swarm of flying ants." Li Xian smiled amiably.
But contrary to his expectations, Fang Yuan merely glanced at the Gold-Eating Flying Ant Gu before shifting his gaze away. "Who said I wanted to buy this thing? Here is a list. Everything on it is what I require."
Li Xian took the list and looked it over. It enumerated numerous Gu Insects and detailed refining materials.
Although the items on the list were varied, Li Xian's experience and acuity made it easy to see they were all related to the strength path.
"Bai Ningbing is surrounded by the Iron Family, yet the Little Beast King shows no urgency at all? Strange! With only strength-path Gu Insects in his possession, breaking the Iron Cabinet Gu would be far from easy. Could he have some special means? Or perhaps, among these listed items, he can refine a counter specifically to break the Iron Cabinet Gu?"