Inside the cave.
Li Xian invited Fang Yuan to take a seat and sat down beside him.
"Please, have some tea." Li Xian stretched out his short, stubby fingers. As his palm spread open, a cup of fragrant tea appeared on his flat hand.
Fang Yuan looked at the tea but didn't move to take it. Instead, he sighed: "The Azure Sky Gu from the Eastern Sea truly lives up to its reputation. Not only does this Gu have vast storage capacity, far surpassing others of the same grade, but retrieval is also quick and convenient."
"Oh? I didn't expect the Young Beast King to recognize this Gu." Li Xian's gaze flickered involuntarily.
He was not a native of the Southern Border, but had drifted here from the Eastern Sea. The Azure Sky Gu was a Gu insect unique to the Eastern Sea, and even there it was quite rare.
Whenever Li Xian dealt with others, he often used this Gu to showcase his abilities.
Southern Border Gu Masters who didn't recognize this Gu, upon witnessing such a display for the first time, would invariably think more highly of Li Xian.
Fang Yuan smiled faintly and spoke at an unhurried pace: "This Fourth Transformation Azure Sky Gu was refined by fusing Third Transformation Empty Storage Gu. The success rate is quite low, making it rare even in the Eastern Sea. If the Azure Sky Gu is to advance further to the Fifth Transformation, the best method is to fuse it together with a Sky Well Gu, thereby producing a Fifth Transformation Azure Sky Well Gu. However, the Sky Well Gu is a natural Gu found only on Sky Well Island in the Eastern Sea. If you wish to upgrade yours, Li Xian, that would be troublesome. Here in the Southern Border, only the Yi Family might possess Sky Well Gu."
The Yi Family was one of the super families alongside the Shang, Wu, and Iron Families, maintaining close ties with Eastern Sea powers. The Yi Family's trade was extremely prosperous, second only to the Shang Family. Their Flying Blue Whale merchant caravan specialized in aerial routes — something even the Shang Family didn't have.
"Empty Storage Gu, Sky Well Gu, Azure Sky Well Gu, and even Sky Well Island… how could the Young Beast King know all this?" After hearing Fang Yuan's words, Li Xian felt both shocked and suspicious.
The world of Gu Masters was extraordinarily vast. Between the Southern Border, Northern Plains, Eastern Sea, Western Desert, and Central Continent lay natural barriers and obstacles. Communication between these regions was difficult, and information was often blocked.
Li Xian had long investigated Fang Yuan's background. Fang Yuan was a native of the Southern Border — so how could someone so young possess such broad knowledge? He even knew the Eastern Sea in great detail!
Involuntarily, a faint sense of pressure welled up in Li Xian's heart.
"Strange, strange! What is this Young Beast King's background? How could he know so much? Could there be some mastermind behind him?"
"With his age and experience, how could he know such details? Ah, right. He spent some time with the Shang Family and likely received guidance from Shang Yanfei. Shang Yanfei is the Shang Family Patriarch, a Fifth Transformation High Stage Gu Master — a peak existence in the mortal world. Under his guidance, it's hardly surprising that the Young Beast King would know these things."
Li Xian's gaze flickered repeatedly. His mind was clouded with doubt. His entire body had gone stiff, the purple clay teacup still resting on his palm.
"No!" Suddenly, a flash of insight struck his mind, and he grasped the crucial point —
"I originally wanted to show off my abilities and gain the upper hand. I never expected that just a few words from the Young Beast King would leave me unsettled and suspicious! So what if Shang Yanfei stands behind him? Others may be afraid, but I, Li Xian, have my own means! Hmph."
Li Xian let out a soft snort in his mind and placed the teacup on the table. Using this moment, he steadied his composure.
He was, after all, an elite figure of the Demonic Path. In just a few breaths' time, he had adjusted his mood and once again faced Fang Yuan with calm composure.
Only now, there was an added measure of caution and gravity in his gaze.
"Young Beast King. Do have some tea. What transaction would you like to make with me this time?" Li Xian asked.
"Don't overthink it — it's just an ordinary trade." As Fang Yuan spoke, he took out Gu insects from his Empty Orifice and displayed them for Li Xian to see.
These Gu insects were the spoils he had seized after killing Gu Masters in the Dog King's Legacy.
There were Third Transformation and Fourth Transformation ones, but none were suited to Fang Yuan's Strength Path.
Seeing these Gu, Li Xian couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
He was an extremely shrewd person and immediately grasped much: "I didn't expect this Young Beast King to also be skilled on the Slave Path! After entering the Dog King's Legacy, he killed two Gu Masters. Such talent is truly… truly monstrous!"
Li Xian couldn't help but think of Mo Wutian.
Having come to the Southern Border and mingled in the Demonic Path for so long, he had encountered all sorts of people. In his assessment, when it came to aptitude, talent, and temperament alone, Mo Wutian was the finest among the younger generation of the Demonic Path.
But today, he realized that this Young Beast King before him possessed talent and ability on par with Mo Wutian!
"Young Beast King and Mo Wutian — if these two were to clash, who knows what would happen? But for now, the Young Beast King's cultivation is still a bit weaker. Mo Wutian is older and already at the peak of the Fourth Transformation."
Li Xian pondered inwardly, but spoke in an excited tone: "Young Beast King, you absolutely came to the right place by seeking me, Li, for this business. I happen to have a Gu in my possession right now that would be very useful to you."
"Oh?" Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Li Xian spread his palm and revealed a ball.
The ball looked impressive, reflecting a brilliant platinum glow. When Fang Yuan looked closely, he saw that it was an ant ball, formed by over a hundred flying ants clinging to and climbing over one another.
The appearance of these flying ants was quite similar to ordinary ants.
Except that they were several times larger, and each bore an additional pair of translucent membrane wings.
"This is a Third Transformation Gold-Eating Flying Ant Gu, totaling one hundred and twenty. Those old fossils from the Iron Family trapped Lord White Sha using Iron Cabinet Gu paired with Qi Transformation Gu. The entire area, stretching a hundred zhang in every direction, is now sealed off. However, before this swarm of flying ants, the Iron Cabinet Gu will be utterly useless. Young Beast King, I've just calculated — the price your Gu sell for is exactly enough to buy this swarm." Li Xian smiled warmly.
But contrary to his expectations, Fang Yuan merely glanced at the Gold-Eating Flying Ant Gu and then looked away: "Who said I wanted to buy this thing? Here's a list. Everything on it is what I want."
Li Xian took the list and examined it. It named many Gu insects, along with densely packed Gu refining materials.
Though the items on the list were varied and diverse, with his experience and shrewdness, Li Xian could easily see that these were all things needed for the Strength Path.