Pi Shuihan gave a cold snort, his heart seething with fury.
He was a renowned powerhouse. Having someone like Fang Yuan openly challenge him like this was something that hadn't happened in a very long time.
Pi Shuihan naturally refused to show weakness, but just as he was about to strike back at Fang Yuan with overwhelming force, Fairy Li Shan flew over, her aura of Seventh Transformation leaking out, while Hei Loulan stood at the side, openly channeling several Immortal Gu.
The three of them were clearly setting up to gang up on him.
The corner of Pi Shuihan's eye twitched. He gritted his teeth and pulled back in frustration.
He had no choice but to back down.
Because right now, he didn't have someone like Free Scholar at his side to team up with.
He was all alone, while the opposing side had the numbers advantage.
Unable to reclaim his lost face, Pi Shuihan continued fighting off the Desolate Beasts while shooting a cold glare at Fang Yuan. "Aren't you the ones who ran over here too? Don't get cocky — do you really think I'm some soft persimmon to be squeezed at will? I'm thinking of the bigger picture, playing the long game. I don't want to haggle with a brute like you. When there's great profit on the line, getting tangled up endlessly with you would mean missing the opportunity, and by the time you regret it, it'll be too late."
Although the Desolate Beasts were fierce and ferocious, Pi Shuihan's strength was undeniably formidable. He managed to fight them off while simultaneously negotiating with Fang Yuan and the others.
On the other hand, Qie Shimin and the Half Moon Barbarian Commander were looking rather inadequate by comparison.
"Heh heh." Fairy Li Shan laughed, hovering in midair, and deliberately said in a hoarse voice, "That's a fair point. Now really isn't the time for a free-for-all."
"Then why not drive them off and take the Green Pool Blessed Land for ourselves?" Fang Yuan deliberately roared in discontent.
Hei Loulan, playing along with perfect timing, immediately retorted: "There isn't enough time. Did you think we were the only ones who figured this out? If we can make it here, others aren't idiots either — chances are more people will be arriving soon. Besides, Dongfang Changfan is a shrewd old strategist. Do you really think he wouldn't have defenses set up at his home base?"
Fairy Li Shan added, "Let's leave it at that. How many times have I told you? Number Seven, you need to control that fiery temper of yours."
Fairy Li Shan deliberately scolded him in a stern tone. Fang Yuan gave a cold snort, as if submitting to her command.
The three of them had cooperated several times by now and developed a fine rapport. Their performance left not the slightest crack.
Pi Shuihan felt even more wary at the sight of this.
Over on the other side, Qie Shimin and the Half Moon Barbarian Commander exchanged glances, each silently cursing the difficulty of the situation.
At the same time, alarm and suspicion churned within them: "Where on earth did this group come from?"
"People like that... and they're only ranked number seven, not even the leader?"
"Brother Pi, the Green Pool Blessed Land is far too vast for either of us to swallow alone. Why don't we join forces for the time being, advance and retreat together? Time is precious — the longer we delay, the more complications will arise." Fairy Li Shan said in a deep voice.
Pi Shuihan had no desire to fight them at all. Seeing a way to save face, he forced a composed expression and said reluctantly, "Fine. You may join in. We've already established rules — no fighting amongst ourselves. There will be plenty of good finds; whoever discovers something first gets to keep it. If both sides lay claim to the same thing, a trade can be arranged. If a deal can't be reached, then we settle it by strength!"
Fang Yuan and Hei Loulan exchanged a glance, and both saw the mirth in each other's eyes.
What kind of rule was that?
It was no different from having no rules at all!
Demonic Path Gu Masters had never trusted one another. Such rules were thoroughly demonic in style and utterly lacking in any binding force.
"Of course, the rules that Pi Shuihan and Qie Shimin had agreed upon earlier couldn't have been just this. There were probably clauses about dividing spoils according to cultivation level," Fang Yuan thought to himself.
Pi Shuihan was a Seventh Transformation Gu Immortal with the greatest combat power. Of course he would want to protect his own interests.
But times had changed. Now that Fang Yuan and the others had the upper hand, Pi Shuihan was at a disadvantage — and he certainly wasn't foolish enough to bring up such terms.
Qie Shimin and the Half Moon Barbarian Commander stood off to the side, already consumed with regret.
Why had they been so hasty to act? They hadn't even read the situation properly!
The Slave Path Gu Immortal, Qie Shimin, seeing that both sides had come to terms, had no choice but to steel himself and speak up: "I would ask that you return my three Desolate Birds."
Fang Yuan let out a cackling laugh and declared arrogantly, "These pretty-but-useless things? Take them back for all I care."
The moment the words left his mouth, he released the three Desolate Beast birds as casually as if they were worthless — not worth a second glance.
Qie Shimin seethed with silent anger, the frustration almost unbearable.
These Desolate Beast birds were indeed weak in combat, but their advantage lay in how easy they were to raise and control.
Though there was only a single Slave Beast Immortal Gu, there were many methods of controlling Desolate Beasts. Wisdom Path, Water Path, Flame Path — all of them had overlapping techniques.
Of course, Qie Shimin had techniques he hadn't deployed yet. Once activated, they would boost the Desolate Birds' combat power by fifty percent.