The topic of the Ge family brought the previously lively banquet atmosphere to an abrupt, chilling halt.
The old Ge Clan patriarch scrambled to his feet and offered an explanation.
Ge Guang sat to the side, watching his father, his heart steeped in bitterness and grief.
His own younger sister was dead. His father was already grieving to the depths of his soul, and he so wished none of this was real. But now, they had to prove to outsiders beyond any doubt that his daughter was truly, irrevocably dead.
What a painful ordeal this was.
But Mantu simply put on the appearance of listening — with no intention of accepting a word.
Chang Shanyin was a hero of the Righteous Path, and in the past had been a genius Gu Master cultivated by the entire Chang Clan. Ever since he had slain Hatugu and his band of horse bandits, he had been widely praised by the people. His prestige was enormous — he was practically a household name throughout the Northern Plains.
So, out of respect for Chang Shanyin's reputation, Mantu made a show of listening earnestly.
But no matter how many times higher Chang Shanyin's prestige might be, it still paled in comparison to the benefits of annexing the Ge family. Now that he had finally found a legitimate pretext, Mantu was not about to let it slip so easily.
Thus, after "patiently" hearing out the old Ge patriarch's explanation, Mantu turned to look at his third son.
Manduo sneered inwardly and rose to his feet.
He bowed deeply to Fang Yuan, then produced a Gu Insect for all to see: "Senior Chang, please take a look."
The Gu resembled a dragonfly, except its slender body looked like a length of sandalwood incense. The dragonfly's tail was still burning, wisps of fragrant smoke curling upward. The smoke shifted between vivid, kaleidoscopic colors and a colorless, scentless state.
"Could this Gu be the ancient Chasing Smoke Gu passed down from antiquity?" A glint flashed in Fang Yuan's eyes.
Manduo was briefly stunned, then spoke with an admiring tone: "Senior's discerning eye is truly unmatched, and your knowledge is vast. This junior is filled with admiration. Indeed, that is the case. I obtained this Gu purely by luck. Once something has been tainted with this Chasing Smoke, it lingers for half a year without dissipating — extremely convenient for tracking."
He paused briefly, then continued: "To tell you the truth, the very first time this junior laid eyes on Ge Yao, I secretly used this smoke on her. Now, all I need to do is activate the Chasing Smoke Gu, and the trail will become visible to the naked eye."
Manduo added with a hint of smugness: "Clan Leader Ge, if this Gu is used and Ge Yao's hiding place is found within your Ge family camp — what then?"
He intended to swallow the Ge family whole, so naturally he had planned and arranged everything in advance. The Chasing Smoke Gu had been Manduo's suggestion, and he hadn't expected it would prove useful so quickly.
Facing Manduo's thinly veiled threat, the Ge father and son actually felt a wave of relief.
This Chasing Smoke Gu was perfect — with it, their words could be verified. Their wrongful grievances could finally be cleared.
But in contrast, Fang Yuan's heart lurched. The Chasing Smoke could transfer between people through contact. He had once walked alongside Ge Yao, even carrying her in his arms. Once the Chasing Smoke was revealed, wouldn't he be exposed?
What should he do?!
Fang Yuan had not anticipated such a twist, and his heart sank lower and lower.
The set of Gu Insects he carried came from Chang Shanyin — they were slave-path Gu, excelling in battlefield combat but weak in individual duels.
Here at this banquet, he was merely at the Fourth Transformation, Initial Stage, while both the Man and Ge clan leaders possessed cultivation levels higher than his own. And there were numerous Elders and guards present, all at the Third Transformation.
Even if he had brought his wolf pack along — two to three thousand ordinary wild wolves — they would be nowhere near enough to turn the tide!
In an instant, thoughts flashed through Fang Yuan's mind at lightning speed, ideas flickering one after another like sparks from flint.
Without hesitation, he let out a hearty laugh: "That is even better. With the Chasing Smoke Gu as evidence, the truth will come to light at once. Nephew, go ahead and activate it."
Delaying or refusing to use it was out of the question. First, if he — an outsider — refused the Chasing Smoke Gu, it would seem highly suspicious, practically a confession of guilt. Second, both the Man and Ge families wanted to use the Chasing Smoke Gu to verify certain things. The momentum was already set, and it would be impossible to resist. Third, the Chasing Smoke Gu was in someone else's hands — even if Fang Yuan refused to use it, would that stop the Man family from doing so?
Therefore, Fang Yuan decided to proactively request it, at least establishing an impression of openness and integrity.
Hearing Fang Yuan's words, Mantu was naturally delighted: "Since Brother Chang Shanyin has spoken, son — go ahead."
But Manduo was not quite so happy. He read the expressions on everyone's faces and noticed that the Ge father and son actually looked faintly hopeful.
"Could it be that Ge Yao really is dead?" Manduo suppressed the unease in his heart, focused his mind, and activated the Chasing Smoke Gu.
Instantly, the previously colorless, scentless Chasing Smoke in the air materialized into a black trail.
"Hm?"
"Huh? What's going on?"
"This is..."
Just as Fang Yuan had feared, a thick plume of ink-black smoke clung to his body, standing out with startling prominence under the brightly lit lanterns of the banquet hall.