"What?" The various Zombie Gu Immortals heard Fang Yuan's words and couldn't help but change color.
"You — you — you're spouting nonsense!" Bu Dan was so consumed by rage and embarrassment that he was practically apoplectic.
Shark Demon narrowed his eyes, glancing from Bu Dan to Fang Yuan, his expression darkening: "What exactly is going on here?"
Bu Dan was so angry his teeth itched. He immediately declared: "Lord Shark Demon, I swear upon my many years of reputation — there was absolutely nothing improper about what I did this time."
He pointed a finger at Fang Yuan: "This Star Constellation Son puts on a fine show on the outside, but he's actually a narrow-minded, petty man consumed by jealousy! He must have seen me make progress and felt he was being outshone, so he's fabricating accusations. I beg Lord Shark Demon and all our esteemed colleagues to see the truth of this."
"I know Brother Star Constellation's abilities better than anyone! In my view, *you're* the one who's petty!" Tai Bai Yun Sheng was furious and immediately shot back with a cold rebuke.
"Silence, all of you!" Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Shark Demon barked a low command and turned to face Fang Yuan. "Star Constellation Son, what do you have to say?"
Fang Yuan gave a bitter smile: "I have nothing to say."
Seeing him adopt such an attitude, Su Bai Man couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.
But Fang Yuan immediately continued: "However, I do have one question I'd like to put to Lord Bu Dan."
Fang Yuan showed not the slightest trace of anger, carrying himself with an effortless composure that stood in stark contrast to Bu Dan, whose face was flushed red from shouting abuse in the street.
Bu Dan saw Fang Yuan's demeanor and his jealousy and loathing only deepened. He let out a cold snort: "What could you possibly have to ask?"
Fang Yuan smiled faintly, fixed his gaze on Bu Dan, and goaded him: "If I ask you, do you dare answer truthfully?"
Bu Dan gritted his teeth. He knew this was Fang Yuan's provocation tactic, but at this point he had no way to back down. He jutted his neck out and shot back: "Ask away!"
Fang Yuan sighed, adopting the air of someone who wished for nothing more than peace but found himself beset by trouble: "I'll ask you one thing. The Ice Rain Frozen Earth battlefield formation — how many Gu Insect hiding spots does it currently contain?"
Shark Demon and the others immediately fixed their gaze on Bu Dan.
Bu Dan's heart lurched. He opened his mouth to speak, but in the end only stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
This question from Fang Yuan was like a sword plunged directly into Bu Dan's heart!
Previously, Bu Dan had only discovered one location where a Gu Insect was hidden. After his calculations suggested nothing was amiss, he had moved to eliminate it.
Now that the Gu Insect had just been removed, the battlefield formation would inevitably develop minor flaws that hadn't existed before.
But for Bu Dan to calculate the locations of the remaining hidden Gu Insects from these new flaws — that would take time.
Bu Dan had, of course, considered simply making something up. But the very next moment he rejected that foolhardy idea.
Because this was far too easy to verify.
You point out a hidden Gu Insect location, then you go and destroy it, and everyone can see for themselves.
Facts trump all eloquence.
Bu Dan was struck mute, his fists clenching involuntarily.
But soon he realized there was no way to bluff his way through this. He had no choice but to respond loudly: "You want my guidance? Fine, I'll oblige. Give me some time to calculate it out, and then I'll instruct you."
The various Gu Immortals were all people of composure. Hearing this, their expressions didn't change, but inwardly they were shaking their heads.
Bu Dan's wretched state was seared into their minds.
These Gu Immortals were no fools. They could clearly see that Bu Dan's words betrayed a profound lack of confidence. Star Constellation Son had pushed him to the point of practically revealing his true colors.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng gazed at Bu Dan with pity, sighing inwardly: *"With abilities like yours, you actually thought you could contend with Fang Yuan?"*
Fang Yuan had long known Bu Dan would answer this way. He now let out a hearty laugh: "Lord Bu Dan, I presume you only calculated a single point. But the Gu Insect hidden at that point was actually nothing more than a trap. If you had continued calculating with a bit more patience, you might have discovered more flaws and calculated additional hidden points. And if you had, perhaps you would have understood just how reckless your actions truly were."
"Oh?" Bu Dan's lips twisted. He had already prepared his rebuttal and immediately put Fang Yuan on the spot: "Then why don't you tell everyone exactly how my actions were improper? How they could cause future trouble? And just what kind of trap this point was? Ha ha — you'd better answer carefully. Lord Su Bai Man has methods for detecting lies."
That point was, of course, no trap at all.
Fang Yuan naturally couldn't answer that.
But Fang Yuan had long prepared his response. He smiled lightly: "This Wisdom Path inheritance — my unique methods — how could I possibly reveal them? What a clever scheme, Bu Dan. How very shrewd of you — you're trying to steal my Wisdom Path techniques, aren't you?"
"Your mother's nonsense!" Bu Dan erupted in fury once more.
Despite Bu Dan's repeated rudeness, Fang Yuan remained unruffled. He cast a glance at the Zombie Gu Immortal Shark Demon.
Shark Demon's brow was deeply furrowed, but he merely observed from the sidelines, waiting for the debate between Fang Yuan and Bu Dan to reach its conclusion.
With that single glance, Fang Yuan understood that Shark Demon still leaned toward Bu Dan's side.
This was not the least bit surprising.
After all, Shark Demon and Bu Dan were both members of the Zombie Alliance. They had cooperated many times over a long period and had spent a great deal of time together.
There was an old saying: *outsiders cannot come between kin.* Fang Yuan was meeting Shark Demon for the first time — a complete stranger. While Bu Dan and Shark Demon shared a far closer relationship.
Fang Yuan broke into a laugh, his expression suddenly shifting to one of contempt as he looked down at Bu Dan with disdain: "A jumping clown — today I shall give you a proper lesson. Watch closely!"
With that, Fang Yuan raised his fingers like a blade, tracing sweeping arcs through the air.
Pinpoints of starlight shot from his fingertips, flying outward to hover at various distances in the void.