In the silence, Fang Yuan and the other Immortal Zombies had already ventured deep into the trench, over forty thousand zhang below the surface.
Although they tried their best to avoid combat, they had still been forced into sixteen engagements, large and small.
The Immortal Zombies had all sustained injuries of varying severity.
"We can't go any deeper," Yaksha Dragon Commander said. "At this depth, we've entered the range of crust snails. Let's explore outward instead."
The Northern Plains Zombie Alliance Branch had managed to scout down to roughly fifty thousand zhang at most.
They were still nearly ten thousand zhang short of that limit, but the deeper they went, the more dangers they faced. Desolate Beasts lined the path, and with their current lineup, each encounter would only grow harder to handle.
No Immortal Zombie objected to Yaksha Dragon Commander's proposal.
They chose a direction and continued flying in silence.
Perhaps it was because Fang Yuan had activated Temporal Fortune Boost before their departure, temporarily raising his luck. In any case, before long, he encountered a crust snail.
"Excellent." Fang Yuan feigned great delight.
"Don't rush in. Scout first — see how many dangers are lurking nearby." Yaksha Dragon Commander remained composed.
The immortals deployed their respective methods and quickly ascertained that this territory was guarded by a sizable group of Yaksha Octopuses.
"To process the snail's viscous saliva, I'll have to activate my starlight. Nine times out of ten, that will alert these Yaksha Octopuses." Fang Yuan put on a troubled expression and looked toward Yaksha Dragon Commander and the others.
The others' faces darkened slightly.
"Why didn't you mention this sooner?" the Thunder Rain Tower Lord asked, clearly displeased.
"Perhaps there is some way... to mask the disturbance..." the Xuanyin Physician suggested.
Fang Yuan shook his head. "That's impossible. I would mask it if I could, but it exceeds my capabilities. I can't go into the specifics of the method. Either way, it would be best to eliminate these Yaksha Octopuses first."
Fang Yuan's stance was firm, and his reasoning entirely sound.
The other Immortal Zombies exchanged glances. In the end, Yaksha Dragon Commander had no choice but to concede. "Fine. We kill this group of Yaksha Octopuses first, and then the Star Diviner makes his move."
This time, Yaksha Dragon Commander personally handled the reconnaissance.
The octopus colony stationed here consisted of eight Desolate Beast octopuses and one Octopus King — possessing the combat strength of a Seventh Transformation Gu Immortal.
"Lin Da Niao will handle the perimeter. Mobilize the bird flock and surround the entire group."
"Yuan Lao Lao will draw their attention and keep them occupied."
"Then the Thunder Rain Tower Lord and I will strike, cutting down these octopuses."
"As for you, Xuanyin Physician — stand by on the periphery for support."
Yaksha Dragon Commander finalized the arrangement quickly. Fang Yuan was given no role whatsoever.
The Yaksha Octopuses suffered a bolt from the blue. The Immortal Zombies crept up stealthily, striking deliberately against the completely unsuspecting. The moment battle commenced, the Yaksha Octopus colony was dealt a vicious blow and thrown into chaos.
The Immortal Zombies quickly seized the upper hand.
Before long, the battle was nearing its end. Most of the octopuses had been slain. Only two remained.
At that moment, Yaksha Dragon Commander suddenly turned to Fang Yuan. "Star Diviner, you join in as well."
Fang Yuan's eyes glinted. He strode onto the battlefield with unhurried grace.
Gu Immortal Killing Move — Star Snake Rope.
He first trapped the healthier Yaksha Octopus in its coils, then activated Six Phantom Star Body, surrounding the other one on all sides.
Swish, swish, swish...
Starlight blazed brilliantly. Fang Yuan's attacks came in relentless succession, and he quickly dispatched the already near-death Yaksha Octopus.
Then he turned his attention to the final one.
The Yaksha Octopuses were half-human, half-beast. Their upper halves were the bodies of powerful men — muscles bulging, skin pitch-black and hard as steel. Their lower halves consisted of dozens of octopus tentacles in place of legs.
This last Yaksha Octopus was in relatively good condition — fierce and courageous, it fought Fang Yuan head-on, the two locked in a dead heat.
Fang Yuan used the Star Cloud Millstone for defense, biding his time. Strike after strike, he gradually severed and sliced off the octopus's tentacles one by one.
While he fought, the other Immortal Zombies watched idly from the sidelines.
At most, Lin Da Niao manipulated the bird flock to entangle the Yaksha Octopus whenever it tried to flee, keeping it pinned so Fang Yuan could follow up and continue the assault.
Fang Yuan was perfectly patient. He deliberately wounded the Yaksha Octopus grievously, causing it to bleed streams of pitch-black, icy blood.
"That's enough — stop." In the end, Yaksha Dragon Commander could stand it no longer. He stepped in personally and captured the Yaksha Octopus alive.
The previous ones had all been killed because the fighting had allowed no restraint.
This octopus, Yaksha Dragon Commander took alive, intending to raise it within his own Immortal Orifice.
This display finally made the other Immortal Zombies understand Fang Yuan's true combat strength.
Fang Yuan had only revealed his methods in the Star Path, yet even so, his power was that of a formidable Sixth Transformation expert. Even the Thunder Rain Tower Lord, who had long harbored discontent toward Fang Yuan and muttered complaints behind his back, fell silent.
The latter secretly estimated that if he and Fang Yuan fought one-on-one, he might not even be Fang Yuan's opponent.
Among Gu Immortals, the strong commanded respect. No matter how displeased the Thunder Rain Tower Lord might be, he no longer let it show on his face.
Next, Fang Yuan began collecting the Starry Night Viscous Saliva.
He ordered the Immortal Zombies to retreat several li and prohibited them from using any reconnaissance methods to spy on his unique techniques.
The Immortal Zombies were naturally unhappy about this, secretly cursing Fang Yuan for his petty-mindedness, but they had no choice but to agree.
Activating the star radiance to process the viscous saliva produced a considerable commotion.
Before long, the crust snail ceased all movement, withdrawing its entire body into its shell.
Whenever it sensed danger, the crust snail would respond in this manner.
Its shell was extraordinarily thick. Though it was merely a Desolate Beast, it could leave the vast majority of Sixth Transformation Gu Immortals at a loss. Even a Seventh Transformation Gu Immortal would need considerable effort to break through its shell.
Moreover, the crust snail was enormous — as large as a whale and heavy as a mountain. Once it retreated into its shell, it would typically hide for one to two years. If the commotion outside grew louder, that time would multiply.
If one attempted to relocate it, as long as it was moved outside the crust snail's range of activity — even if it remained within the trench, just five or six li higher — the crust snail would die on the spot.