The moment the name of the Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal, Old Ancestor Snowy Beard, was mentioned, all the Gu Immortals of Central Continent fell silent.
Every one of them was a Seventh Transformation cultivator with outstanding combat strength, each holding a position among the top five in their respective sects. But against an Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal, there was nothing but defeat.
Though Feng Jiuge possessed the power to contend with an Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal, he was still, ultimately, a Seventh Transformation cultivator.
And Old Ancestor Snowy Beard, as a demonic path practitioner, boasted even more formidable and terrifying combat strength. According to intelligence gathered in Central Continent, there were signs that he was the foremost among all Eighth Transformation cultivators in the Northern Plains!
Just as the Central Continent Gu Immortals fell silent, three demonic path Gu Immortals, concealing their forms, quietly slipped into the ambush circle set by the Central Continent Gu Immortals.
They descended underground and arrived at the scene where Fang Yuan had killed Dongfang Changfan, only then revealing themselves.
Of the three Gu Immortals, the leader was tall in stature, his entire body radiating a fierce and wild aura. He had a pair of sweeping eyebrows that slanted upward toward his temples, a hawk-hooked nose, and eyes that flashed with a sharp gleam. His ears were not human ears at all, but shaped like feathered wings, glittering with golden light.
He was none other than the master of the Fourth Peak of the Great Snow Mountain Blessed Land in the Northern Plains — Li Pengwang.
The one to his left was a head shorter than Li Pengwang, but he was stocky and solid. When he looked about, an imposing bearing radiated from him — a domineering air, tinged with an icy draconic might. He was the master of the Fifth Peak, the Demon Monarch Longdan, who commanded the Ice Lake Palace.
The last Gu Immortal walked to Li Pengwang's right. His eyes were dark as pools of ink, and he wore a white robe. His frame was tall and slender, dressed in the manner of a scholar, yet he lacked the carefree elegance of the Free Scholar, possessing instead a grand and majestic presence. He was the master of the Sixth Peak — Gongzi Mo.
The Central Continent Gu Immortals lay in ambush nearby, their skills highly refined. These three demonic path Gu Immortals failed to detect them.
They focused their attention, staring intently at what lay before them.
Before them, there appeared to be nothing at all. Yet through their perceptions, they detected a Blessed Land hidden there.
"This is the Blessed Land left behind after Dongfang Changfan's death?"
"Let's act. The longer we delay, the more variables may arise. Nearby, there is also the Blessed Land left behind after Qie Shimin's death."
"Since Old Ancestor Snowy Beard has given the order, the three of us should give our all and break through this Blessed Land. Let's do it now!"
The three acted with decisive speed. Having thoroughly prepared special methods and made superficial arrangements in the outside world, they immediately shattered the space and stormed into the Blessed Land.
Only after seeing the three enter did the Central Continent Gu Immortals resume their communication through divine sense.
"Well, well! The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Peak Masters of the Great Snow Mountain Blessed Land have all come out together."
"Among the Great Snow Mountain peaks, the top three hold firmly established positions, but the rest compete fiercely for ranking. These three have always been locked in open and covert rivalry. Now they act together with one mind — only Old Ancestor Snowy Beard could command such unity."
"We didn't catch that Immortal Zombie, but we've caught people from the Great Snow Mountain Blessed Land instead. Should we strike and capture them?"
"That won't work. These three Immortals possess extraordinary combat strength — a cut above even someone like the Free Scholar, on par with us in fact. While we have numbers on our side, we lack coordination. Defeating the three of them would be easy enough, but killing them would be difficult, and capturing them alive would be harder still."
On this point, Old Lord Setting Sun spoke with deep feeling: "Indeed. The Northern Plains has long been a land of warfare, ranking first among the five domains in combat strength. Every Gu Immortal there has accumulated vast battle experience and possesses many unique methods. Their survival skills far surpass those of us in Central Continent. Each one is incredibly elusive. In the recent battles at Taiqiu and Bitan Blessed Lands, the number of Gu Immortals who lost their lives could be counted on one hand. Had those same battles taken place in any of the other four domains, the casualties would have been two or three times higher at least."
"Capturing them alive isn't impossible either — heh, as long as Lord Feng Jiuge takes action personally." So spoke one of the Gu Immortals.
Feng Jiuge's overwhelming combat strength during this expedition to the Northern Plains had left a deep impression on the Central Continent Gu Immortals.
But Feng Jiuge said: "We withdraw."
Without giving the others a chance to question him, he was the first to retreat, vanishing so covertly that he left not the slightest trace.
The Gu Immortals exchanged bewildered glances, then had no choice but to follow quietly.
The group reconvened at a great distance, and the Gu Immortals one after another expressed their confusion to Feng Jiuge.
Setting up the ambush had been Feng Jiuge's idea in the first place. Now that three demonic path Gu Immortals had actually shown up, Feng Jiuge was the first to pull back.
"With all of us united as one, what are we afraid of those three for?"
"Retreating without a fight will tarnish the prestige of our Central Continent's ten great sects!"
"What are we even doing, going back and forth like this?"
As the Gu Immortals moved further and further from Bitan Blessed Land, resentment crept into their voices, though none dared unleash it, held in check by Feng Jiuge's reputation.
Feng Jiuge swept his gaze over the crowd and delivered words that stunned them all: "Fairy Lishan has seized Square Inch Mountain and returned to the Great Snow Mountain Blessed Land to recuperate. I've received word that the Righteous Path Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal of the Northern Plains, Medicine Emperor, has already set out for the Great Snow Mountain Blessed Land to demand Square Inch Mountain from Old Ancestor Snowy Beard."
"What? Such a thing has happened!"