In the Northern Plains, where the strong were revered and fists ruled, Manduo still enjoyed his father's favor, mobilizing elders and challenging the entire Ge family. This was proof enough of his skill and courage — he was far from an ordinary spoilt young master.
Fang Yuan's eyes held a trace of amusement: "I, Chang Shanyin, am fortunate enough to be a guest of the Ge family, and I know the rules of the Northern Plains — I shouldn't meddle in other people's affairs. But I just heard this brother here put up one hundred thousand Yuan Stones. I happen to be short of Yuan Stones lately. How could I refuse money delivered right to my door?"
Hearing these words, Shi Wu wished he could slap his own mouth.
"My mouth really needs to be shut. I've attracted a Fourth Transformation expert." His heart was filled with bitterness.
Manduo laughed awkwardly a few times: "This matter is easily resolved. If this senior is short of Yuan Stones, this junior is willing to offer five hundred thousand Yuan Stones!"
The implication was clear — he wanted Fang Yuan to stand aside.
In an instant, the Ge family members all looked at Fang Yuan nervously.
Fang Yuan might be a legendary hero, but how many heroes lived up to their grand reputation?
Moreover, there was a saying: the wise adapt to circumstances. The Ge family had fallen on hard times, while the Man family was so powerful. Chang Shanyin was, after all, an outsider — he had no reason to lend a hand.
At this moment, Fang Yuan became the focus of everyone's gaze. His attitude would determine how the whole situation played out.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Fang Yuan smiled proudly: "A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it through proper means. Five hundred thousand delivered to my doorstep — I find it light and insubstantial. But one hundred thousand Yuan Stones earned through battle — now that feels weighty and precious. Come then. By the rules of the Northern Plains, I accept this challenge."
Fang Yuan stepped forward into the arena.
"Uncle Chang Shanyin!" Ge Guang was so moved that tears streamed down his face. At a loss for words, he shouted from behind Fang Yuan.
The Ge family elders were all deeply moved.
"As expected of Chang Shanyin — a true hero of the Righteous Path!"
"Unmoved by enormous profit. What a man of justice!"
"In this world, those who add flowers to brocade are many, but those who send coal in the snow are few. Chang Shanyin will be our family's honored guest forever!"
Manduo's expression turned dark and ugly. He knew further words were useless, so he simply shut his mouth and looked at Shi Wu.
Shi Wu felt Manduo's gaze, and his heart was filled with bitterness.
He had only recently sworn allegiance to the Man family, becoming an external-surname elder, and naturally he was eager to earn merit. Although Manduo's cultivation was insufficient, he was still the patriarch's third son. He had also told Shi Wu plainly that the Ge family's old patriarch was seriously ill, which was why Shi Wu had followed Manduo to issue this challenge. What he hadn't expected was to run into Chang Shanyin!
The other party's aura was only at the Initial Stage of the Fourth Transformation, while he himself was at the Peak Stage of the Third Transformation — it didn't seem like much of a difference. But Shi Wu understood deeply the chasm in strength that existed across this major realm gap.
But now the situation had gone too far to back down. If he refused to fight, he would be scorned by outsiders. In the Northern Plains, where martial valor was revered, he would never be able to hold his head up.
Shi Wu gritted his teeth secretly and steeled himself to step into the arena.
"Please instruct me." He bowed deeply to Fang Yuan, forcing a smile.
Fang Yuan nodded indifferently, standing motionless in place. But across the surface of his body, pale green wolf fur rapidly sprouted.
The wolf fur covered his entire body — his ears, his face, even the soles of his feet and palms of his hands. Everywhere.
"That's the Azure Wolf Skin Gu." Shi Wu's heart sank. The Azure Wolf Skin Gu was a common-grade Fourth Transformation Gu. But even so, this layer of defense was not something a Third Transformation Gu could easily pierce.
The Ge family members behind Fang Yuan were all watching with rapt attention, eyes blazing, eager to see him display his mighty power.
Some even shouted: "Kill that bastard! He killed three of our family's elders!"
Hearing this, Shi Wu's heart trembled violently, and he silently cursed his terrible luck: "This is bad! I've already fought two battles — my Empty Orifice's True Essence is less than thirty percent. Even at my peak state, I wouldn't be his match, let alone now!"
Watching Shi Wu's stiff movements and shifting gaze, Fang Yuan sneered inwardly. This man had already lost all fighting spirit. Even with ten-tenths of his combat power, he couldn't bring out half of it. And on top of that, after several rounds of fighting, the True Essence in his body had long since run dry.
An opponent like this, in Fang Yuan's eyes, was nothing more than a fish on the chopping block, waiting for the blade.
But Fang Yuan didn't want to kill him.
What would be the point of killing him?
He was an external-surname elder recruited by the Man family. Killing him would be a resounding slap in the Man family's face. Fang Yuan didn't fear trouble, but he also didn't want to invite pointless trouble.
Shi Wu had killed a Ge family elder, but what did the Ge family matter to him?
"Come!" Fang Yuan stomped his foot, activating the Wolf Dash Gu. His entire body shot forward like a sharp arrow, leaving afterimages in its wake.
Shi Wu's mind had already been scattered. Seeing Fang Yuan charge with such ferocious momentum, he scrambled backward in terror.
At the same time, he raised three spinning bone shields.
Snap snap snap!
Fang Yuan followed like a shadow, closing in for close combat, and with three successive powerful strikes, he shattered each bone shield in turn.
Shi Wu tumbled across the ground and raised three more bone shields.