After the wolf pack finished eating, Fang Yuan mounted the camel wolf's back and continued on his journey.
"All these days, I've been following the directions Ge Yao pointed out. I should be almost at the edge of the Poison-rot Grassland now. Once I go past it, I'll start seeing signs of people."
Camel wolves were natural mounts. Their two humps formed a comfortable saddle.
Fang Yuan sat between the two humps, inspecting his Empty Orifice as he traveled.
There were only about ten Gu left inside his Empty Orifice. Apart from the Spring Autumn Cicada and Toast-shifting Gu, the rest were Northern Plains Gu.
All the Gu from the Southern Border and Central Continent had been sent back by Fang Yuan to the Fox Immortal's Blessed Land. He hadn't even left a single Yuan Stone behind.
Yuan Stones from the Southern Border could technically be used in the Northern Plains, but they were ultimately different from Northern Plains Yuan Stones. Ge Yao hadn't noticed the difference because she was too young, too naive. In truth, any Gu Master with even a bit of experience would be able to tell them apart.
"It's a shame that even though Toast-shifting Gu is Fifth Transformation, it's been suppressed to Fourth Transformation in the Northern Plains, so it can only hold Fourth Transformation Gu. If I could have used it to send the Fixed Immortal Sojourn Gu to the Blessed Land, that would have been perfect. Sigh, I hope the measures I set up prove effective."
If the Fixed Immortal Sojourn Gu were taken by another Gu Immortal, it would be a tremendous loss for Fang Yuan.
But there was nothing he could do. He had already done everything within his power to the best of his ability.
"The aura of an Immortal Gu lasts about a month. If nothing goes wrong during that period, then the Fixed Immortal Sojourn Gu will be safe."
"Next, I'll be encountering Northern Plains Gu Masters. I can't afford to be careless. It would be best to subdue another Thousand Wolf King during this time and increase the pack to over two thousand."
Sometimes people were more fearsome than wild beasts. A wolf pack of over two thousand could deter the vast majority of petty troublemakers.
"I only have one Third Transformation Wolf Taming Gu and one Second Transformation Wolf Taming Gu left. I have to use them sparingly. From now on, I'll be traveling the Northern Plains as Chang Shan Yin, relying primarily on wolf taming. That brings up another bottleneck — I don't have the recipe for Third or Fourth Transformation Wolf Taming Gu."
Almost all beast-taming Gu were consumable Gu. After bursting into a wisp of light smoke, they would dissipate whether the taming succeeded or failed.
A Third Transformation Wolf Taming Gu could enslave a Thousand Wolf King. A Fourth Transformation Wolf Taming Gu could enslave a Ten Thousand Wolf King — or an exotic beast.
Without the recipes for these two Gu, Fang Yuan couldn't produce large quantities of Wolf Taming Gu. Without those Wolf Taming Gu, the wolf pack around him would be limited to a few thousand at most — nowhere near enough for grand schemes.
With the camel wolf to carry him, the journey ahead was at least three times faster.
Fang Yuan traveled day and night. The thick overcast that had hung above his head gradually thinned.
Two days later, he finally arrived at the edge of the Poison-rot Grassland.
In the sky, the overcast had scattered into wispy patches. Rays of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the clouds, pouring down in shimmering columns of light.
Vast expanses of green grassland stretched out, thriving with life. Wildflowers in shades of blue, purple, and yellow bloomed in fierce competition.
Gentle rolling hills looked as though they had been painted in pure green, without any outline strokes to define them.
Beside the hills, a small river flowed gently, gleaming and shimmering under the sunlight like a silver necklace.
"Finally about to leave it behind," Fang Yuan sighed with emotion. Riding on the camel wolf's back, surrounded by his Poison-whisker wolf pack, he gradually stepped into the sunlight.
The Poison-whisker wolves stirred restlessly.
They were suited for hunting in dim environments, and now under the sunlight, their combat ability was considerably reduced.
Fang Yuan was unconcerned. The Poison-whisker wolf pack was merely a transitional arrangement — sooner or later, they would be phased out.
Fang Yuan looked back. Behind him, the Poison-rot Grassland was still blanketed in heavy overcast, dim and grim, with a chilling wind. On the rotting grassland, twisted and bizarre purple-black poisonous weeds grew in clusters.
It formed a stark contrast with the sunlit grassland on this side, as if they were two entirely different worlds.
"The eastern part of the Fox Immortal's Blessed Land is also covered by deep cloud layers. If they aren't dealt with in time, that area will likely develop in the direction of the Poison-rot Grassland. The Poison-rot Grassland... I will return."
Fang Yuan murmured softly, and as he spoke, he suddenly felt his whole body lighten.
From the moment he had entered the Northern Plains, he had felt uncomfortable, as if an invisible restraint shrouded him.
Now, that restraint had suddenly lessened, and Fang Yuan immediately felt himself drawing closer to this vast heaven and earth.
His aura surged in tandem, rising from the peak of Third Transformation to the Initial Stage of Fourth Transformation.
Joy welled up in his heart, and Fang Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud.
His body was gradually adapting to the Northern Plains, and his cultivation was slowly recovering — this would greatly help with his upcoming plans!
"Northern Plains, here I am!" Fang Yuan shouted, clamping his legs hard against the wolf's belly. The camel wolf broke into a run, leading the Poison-whisker wolf pack toward the distant horizon.
...
"Kill!"
Battle cries echoed across the hills as dozens of Gu Masters and over a thousand Wind Wolves fought a brutal, bloody battle.
The slaughter had been going on for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.
"These damned Wind Wolves!" Leader Ge Guang cursed, his face twisted with ferocity, as he swung his saber hard and lopped the head clean off a Wind Wolf in front of him.
But after the strike, his saber snapped in two. The half-blade in Ge Guang's hand had long since been chipped and notched.
Awooo!
A Wind Wolf leapt up suddenly, lunging at Ge Guang.