Half a month later.
Three-Fork Mountain, somewhere on a hilltop.
A flock of grayish-white mountain apes, nearly a thousand in number, screeched and howled as they surrounded Tie Ruonan so tightly that not even water could leak through.
Tie Ruonan took a deep breath, then suddenly raised her hand and scattered a large burst of Golden Needle Gu.
The Golden Needle Gu were not naturally born insects, but rather Gu Insects refined through combined methods by Gu Masters of the Tie family. Each Golden Needle Gu was a Second Transformation Gu, shaped like a gold needle as long as an index finger.
The Golden Needle Gu shot into the ape flock. Some apes were immediately immobilized, some died on the spot as their poison flared, and others went berserk, actually beginning to attack the companions around them.
Tie Ruonan continuously scattered Golden Needles. The ape army descended into chaos and suffered devastating losses. Amid screams of agony, they fled in disarray. Before long, the once-noisy battlefield fell silent.
A large swath of mountain apes lay across the ground—some already dead, others breathing their last.
Tie Ruonan walked slowly to their side and scattered Golden Needle Gu once more.
But this time, these Golden Needle Gu carried a healing effect. After piercing into the apes' bodies, they transformed into clusters of golden light that darted through the injured areas, restoring many mountain apes to the ability to move again.
The Golden Needle Gu by itself was nothing extraordinary. But combined with Poison Liquid Gu, it could form Poison Needles. Paired with Paralysis Gu, it could freeze enemies in place. Combined with Chaos Mind Gu, it could make enemies attack friend and foe alike, plunging them into confusion. And if paired with Vitality Gu, it could even serve a healing purpose.
These four tactical combinations had taken Tie Ruonan only seven or eight days of practice to master. And with them, she had single-handedly defeated a flock of nearly a thousand mountain apes in actual combat.
"This child Ruonan has exceptional Aptitude, superb comprehension, and—more importantly—a tenacious and resolute character. She truly is a pillar of the Tie family." Tie Mubai watched from not far away, his face betraying no expression. But inside his heart, he harbored much admiration.
For this old patriarch of the Tie family, a lifetime had passed in which he had seen countless geniuses rise and watched just as many fall.
He knew well: harsh and arduous living conditions could always give rise to many individuals with extraordinary gifts. But talent was only one aspect of the equation—what was truly rare was a genius's character.
A genius who could endure hardship and withstand loneliness was the one who might one day achieve greatness.
A genius with flawed character could only be a shooting star—brilliant for a fleeting moment.
Why had Tie Mubai chosen to mentor Tie Ruonan? First, her bloodline—and that of Tie Xue Leng—shared deep roots with his own. Second, having weathered countless trials, Tie Ruonan's temperament had been ground smooth like bluestone, stripped of every trace of restlessness, leaving behind only steadiness and endurance.
Tie Ruonan was like a piece of uncarved jade. With just a little polishing, she blazed with dazzling brilliance.
"Patriarch." Tie Ruonan climbed to the hilltop and came to Tie Mubai's side, clasping her fist in salute.
The young girl held nothing but admiration and respect for the old man before her.
Only half a month ago, this elder Tie Mubai had fought two on his own, clashing with two Fifth Transformation powerhouses of the Demonic Path.
He had first used the Fifth Transformation Gold-Touch Gu to leisurely engage the two great demons. Then he deployed the Fifth Transformation Golden Soup Gu, forcing both formidable enemies to retreat upon recognizing the odds. Their fighting spirit diminished, and both sides finally withdrew.
Tie Mubai's strength had fallen like a bucket of cold water on the hearts of the Demonic Path Gu Masters, dousing their freshly surged arrogance in an instant.
The result of the battle was that both the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path would compete jointly for the Three Kings Inheritance. But anyone with eyes could see that Tie Mubai had been operating with ease and had not even used his full strength.
"Not bad. To have mastered these tactical variations in such a short time—very good." Tie Mubai offered a bland word of praise, then casually waved his hand.
Swoosh.
A large burst of Golden Needle Gu scattered forth.
But unlike Tie Ruonan's Golden Needle Gu, the ones Tie Mubai released were extraordinarily fine—so thin they looked like threads drawn from raindrops.
When scattered in the air, they resembled a cloud of golden mist.
The golden mist drifted with the wind, sweeping across a stretch of boulders. A faint rustling sound emanated from the stone, as though thousands of silkworms were chewing on mulberry leaves.
Tie Ruonan's pupils contracted. She immediately recognized the terrifying potency of this variation.
Where the golden mist passed, the stone had been thoroughly permeated and pierced through, riddled with countless microscopic holes. The trees beside the boulders were similarly perforated, their vitality extinguished in an instant.
If a person were struck by this Gu, every part of their body would be pierced by tens of thousands of tiny golden needles, and their internal organs would be completely destroyed. It was truly a horrifying killing move!
Tie Mubai waved his hand again, sending three Golden Needle Gu flying through the air.
These three Golden Needles underwent yet another transformation—they were thick and long. A normal Golden Needle Gu was only as long as a finger, but these three rivaled the length of an entire palm.