After a moment of quick deliberation, Fang Yuan decided to help Tai Bai Yun Sheng.
The Cloud Thread Sharks that Tai Bai Yun Sheng wanted to collect were small and delicate creatures. They could not only swim freely through the sea but also fly and survive in the open air for extended periods, making them a perfect fit for the Tai Bai Blessed Land.
However, these Cloud Thread Sharks were extremely adept at concealing themselves. Had it not been for this trait, they never could have survived near the undersea palace, nestled in the gaps between the three great shark swarms.
From the very start, Tai Bai Yun Sheng's shark-fishing ran into difficulties.
His target was the Cloud Thread Sharks, but the Divine Halberd Sharks, Broken Tooth Gold Sharks, and Silver Scale Big Treasure Sharks were not about to stand by and watch.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng's methods spread through the undersea depths like smoke and mist, stirring up all three shark swarms.
In their eyes, this feng shui treasure land was a territory they jointly controlled. Now that an anomaly had appeared, it was as if wild beasts whose domain had been invaded—they naturally had to teach these brazen intruders a lesson.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng excelled at healing and had never been skilled at shark-fishing to begin with. On top of that, the three great shark swarms were causing him serious interference.
Once Fang Yuan stepped in, he immediately eliminated most of that interference. Tai Bai Yun Sheng instantly felt his burden lighten, and he cast a grateful glance toward Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan offered a faint smile, nodding to Tai Bai Yun Sheng without saying a word.
Ultimately, with Fang Yuan's cooperation, Tai Bai Yun Sheng managed to collect an ideal number of Cloud Thread Sharks.
"Tai Bai Yun Sheng thanks Lords Sha Mo and Su Baiman for their generosity," Tai Bai Yun Sheng said, having gotten what he wanted. He rose to his feet and bowed solemnly to the two hosts.
"So the two of you really are close friends," Sha Mo remarked softly with a sigh.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the banquet came to an end, with both hosts and guests thoroughly pleased. Sha Mo personally saw them off, escorting Fang Yuan and Tai Bai Yun Sheng all the way to the surface of the sea.
Watching their departing figures shrink to the size of ants at the edge of the sky, Su Baiman's eyes glinted. Suddenly, she asked, "What does my husband think of this Xingxiangzi?"
The smile vanished entirely from Sha Mo's face, replaced by a cold, proud look. He gave a snort. "That man feigns humility on the outside but is truly arrogant inside, and he has many schemes. He's nothing like Tai Bai Yun Sheng—definitely not someone easy to deal with."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Bu Dan is also far too incompetent. He was led around by the nose by Xingxiangzi from beginning to end. Bu Dan is my man, yet Xingxiangzi tormented him so thoroughly. Bu Dan was humiliated, and my own face suffered for it. This Xingxiangzi stirred up trouble the very first time he came. Soft on the outside, sharp on the inside—not to be trifled with. If it were up to my old temper, I'd have gone up and slapped him across the face a few times to teach him some manners. He needs to learn that this region is the Eastern Sea, not the Northern Plains!"
Su Baiman quickly consoled him, "Please calm down, Husband. People of real ability naturally carry some pride. As for Bu Dan losing his composure this time, it's understandable. Think about it—his private sea territory has been occupied by the Burning Heaven Demoness for years, with no sign of it being returned. Recently, when Bu Dan went to demand it back, he was soundly beaten by her. The Burning Heaven Demoness is an Immortal Corpse from the Northern Plains, so Bu Dan naturally harbors resentment toward Northern Plains Gu Immortals."
"Moreover, after losing his private sea territory, he has no other means of generating income and is strapped for cash. This expedition to conquer the Yu Lu Blessed Land offers a generous reward—it's his best chance to stave off bankruptcy. When Xingxiangzi arrived, his wisdom-path methods proved even more formidable than Bu Dan's. It's only natural that Bu Dan felt his livelihood was being threatened. The stakes were so high that he lost his composure. That's only to be expected."
At these words, Sha Mo's eyes lit up. He turned to look at Su Baiman, a knowing smile in his gaze. "Why would my wife suddenly speak up for Bu Dan? Oh... I suppose that rascal must have secretly sent you some grand gift, hasn't he?"
Su Baiman covered her mouth and laughed. "Nothing escapes my husband. I wouldn't call it a grand gift—just a palm-sized piece of medicine ice."
Sha Mo was genuinely surprised. "That medicine ice may be small in quantity, but it's authentic Eighth Transformation immortal material. Where did Bu Dan get his hands on something like that? Heh, it looks like he really bled for this, all to protect his position."
Su Baiman shook her head slightly. "Bu Dan may seem unremarkable, but someone who achieved what he has couldn't have gotten there by being simple."
Sha Mo mused, "It seems Bu Dan truly wants to seize this opportunity. He's too deep in the game, and his judgment has clouded. In truth, even if his skills fall short, he still has some use. Xingxiangzi may be powerful, but he's ultimately an outsider. I'll definitely keep Bu Dan around to counterbalance this Xingxiangzi and prevent him from gaining too much influence down the line. He's already this arrogant—if we let him grow unchecked, what will it be like in the future? What if he sets a trap for us during the conquest? We don't understand wisdom-path methods. Having an extra Bu Dan will keep Xingxiangzi on guard and prevent him from playing tricks. That alone makes it worthwhile."
Su Baiman immediately felt reassured. She gazed at the man she loved with dreamy eyes. "As expected, my husband is the most capable. Whether it's Bu Dan or Xingxiangzi, neither can make waves in your hands."
"Hahaha, wife, you flatter me too much."
Fang Yuan followed Tai Bai Yun Sheng all the way back to the island.
This nameless island was the same place Tai Bai Yun Sheng had been staying before. It was quite modest, but thanks to Tai Bai Yun Sheng, it had gradually gained a small measure of fame within the Gu Immortal community of the Eastern Sea.
This time, Sha Mo's expedition to conquer the Yu Lu Blessed Land had hit a wall, and he had returned in defeat.
Another invasion would require time to prepare.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng planned to use this lull to accept the many invitations he had received, one by one.