Since Bai Ning Bing and Qing Shu's intense battle, Fang Yuan, who had pursued Bai Ning Bing all the way, had become famous, with his popularity soaring.
Recently, Fang Yuan demonstrated his strength during the wolf tide, hunting lightning wolves solo and achieving remarkable results.
He was the rising star of the new generation. If not for his peculiar personality and bad reputation, his status would rival that of Chi Shan and Mo Yan.
But to the Xiong village members, Fang Yuan was suspected of being the killer of Xiong Jiang and Xiong Lin. After all, with the wolf tide drawing almost all the attention of the clan's higher-ups, there hadn't been an in-depth investigation. However, the Xiong village members knew Fang Yuan was the one who had brought Bai Ning Bing to Xiong Li's group, which ultimately led to the deaths of Xiong Li and the other group members.
Thus, when Xiong Jiao Man and the others saw Fang Yuan, they showed a complicated expression.
Fang Yuan stared at them from above, waving his tree vine, saying slowly, "You can continue to wait for reinforcements, or escape using the vine in my hand and climb up the mountain."
No one knew when reinforcements would arrive.
The battlefield situation kept shifting.
Xiong Jiao Man and the others clearly picked the tree vine ahead, but Fang Yuan demanded payment for it.
This angered the Xiong clan Gu Masters.
"Fang Yuan, we are alliance mates. How can you do this!" Someone shouted furiously.
"Asking for the Bear Enslavement Gu, how shameless can you be!" Someone sneered.
Fang Yuan calmly retorted, "One Bear Enslavement Gu and seven hundred primeval stones, in exchange for all seven of your lives, this is a cheap price. You can reject me, and I will go back to the clan to report your circumstances. Hehe, but when will the reinforcements come, will they encounter a wolf pack on the way here, that I cannot guarantee."
Everyone became quiet.
Their expressions were ugly.
"Alright, I promise you. Fang Yuan, you really live up to your reputation." Finally, Xiong Jiao Man chose to give way for the sake of everyone. Her words were full of spite towards Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan shrugged casually, as expected.
He dropped the tree vine and smiled coldly to himself.
He had lured the four bold lightning wolf packs here, planning to wait for them to die and then collect their Gu worms for many merit points.
But their Signal Gu attracted nearby Gu Master groups, all rushing to assist.
To avoid wasting his effort, Fang Yuan had to act as a reinforcement Gu Master this time.
Xiong Jiao Man and the others used the vines to escape the wolf pack. Soon, three Gu Master groups arrived, including Chi Shan's group.
This upset the seven Gu Masters even more.
Xiong Jiao Man deeply regretted it. She had recently withdrawn her consciousness from the Bear Enslavement Gu and worked with Fang Yuan to refine the Gu worm, so now she couldn't go back on her word.
"Fang Yuan, I will remember you." Xiong Jiao Man stared at Fang Yuan fiercely in the eye.
"Remember or not, that's your business." Fang Yuan laughed plainly, turning around and leaving.
"Miss Xiong, we meet again." At the other end, Chi Shan group arrived, speaking with a courteous tone.
Ever since the Bai Ning Bing incident, Gu Yue clan lost a Qing Shu, and Xiong clan's Xiong Li died, thus the two clans got closer. Politically, Bai clan became resisted by the other two clans together, even though the alliance was still in place.
"Little sister pays respects to elder brother Chi Shan." Xiong Jiao Man lifted her frowning brows, cupping her fists towards Chi Shan, continuing, "This time, we are asking the Gu Yue clan for some reinforcements, Xiong clan has been surrounded by wolf packs for six days and six nights already."
Lately, the wolf tide had worsened.
Lightning wolf packs had begun encircling the villages, preparing to attack.
The Xiong clan, located at the mountain's base, held the lowest status among the three clans and was the first target of these packs. This was the third time they had been surrounded and desperately needed reinforcements. With combined attacks from both inside and outside, they hoped to break and defeat the lightning wolf packs.
"The matter about reinforcements is not issue, didn't we cooperate well the last two times? But this matter, I have to report to the clan leader first. Come with me," Chi Shan said.
Xiong Jiao Man and the others followed Chi Shan's group to Gu Yue village.
The village was heavily fortified, with strong outer walls and numerous towers.
Trenches filled with sharp bamboo stakes surrounded the walls.
Steel Vine Gu and Poison Flower Gu covered the walls, creating a thick layer of sharp vines and blooming poisonous flowers.
Inside the main gate, all buildings, from homes to taverns, had been converted into temporary forts.
After leaving the Xiong clan, Xiong Jiao Man and her group faced many challenges crossing wolf packs and suffered various injuries.
They were taken to a bamboo building for treatment, where over ten healing Gu Masters worked—mostly Rank one, with some Rank twos.
What surprised Xiong Jiao Man most was that the person in charge wasn't a Rank two healer, but a young girl.
"Put this unconscious one on the vine chair."
"The one here has a fracture on his leg, Gu Yue Xing, come here and give him treatment."
"Superficial injury, Ah Feng, come here and stop the bleeding, Ah Xing come here and apply the disinfectant, Xiao Hua go place a fracture board on that leg fracture, then come here to bandage the injury.
The young girl had black hair, a peach-like small mouth, both eyes shining like crystals and her face was slightly chubby, with an alluring voice. But when she handled the patients, she was very experienced, causing others to look in amazement.
Xiong Jiao Man suddenly thought of one person, asking, "This little sister, are you Gu Yue Yao Le?"
"Xiong clan's sister Jiao Man, hello. To think you know of my name." After assigning the Gu Masters to their stations, Gu Yue Yao Le walked over and introduced herself.
"Sister Yao Le, you are a famous character. Inheriting Lord Yao Ji's benevolent heart, and also extremely talented in medical skills, even with your Rank one cultivation, you are known as the top ten rising stars in Qing Mao mountain. Even at the Xiong clan, there are numerous people admiring you, sister." Seeing her strong background, Xiong Jiao Man politely praised as she was on a trip to ask the Gu Yue clan for help.
"I'm flattered, sister Jiao Man." Gu Yue Yao Le is still young, and her face turned red as she looked down in embarrassment after being praised.
At this time, a Xiong clan Gu Master complained, "Although you're both the top ten rising stars, that Gu Yue Fang Yuan seriously cannot compare to you, little sister."
"Don't mention Fang Yuan, my blood boils thinking of him!"
"Times without heroes, lad gains fame! Sigh…"
"This person's morals are lacking, to think he is also a top ten rising star, and even the number one position. Thinking about it makes me want to vomit."
This sentence immediately attracted the attention of the people nearby, including the Gu Yue clan's Gu Masters.
"Gu Yue Fang Yuan? What did he do this time?" Someone curiously asked.
"Hmph, he took one of my Bear Enslavement Gu, and even seven hundred primeval stones, as a reward for saving us. I've never seen anyone so shameless, and corrupted by greed!" Xiong Jiao Man snorted, venting her unhappiness.
"This is nothing, there are worse things."
"His heart is blacker than coal, selling a vitality leaf for eighty primeval stones, he is taking advantage of the situation, this person is greedy and extremely shameless!"
"He is too arrogant and proud. My friend wanted to join his group, however not only was he rejected, but he even got insulted in public. What's his deal, he's merely a C-grade talent."
"He is a living prodigal son, wasting the inheritance both his parents left him to buy a red steel Relic Gu from the caravan. Next he snatched another red steel Relic Gu from Bai Ning Bing. If I had these two Gu worms, I can also have his cultivation!"
"Lord Gu Yue Qing Shu is the best after all, humble and kind, too bad he died early."
"But his brother Fang Zheng has a sense of justice, helping those in need and is kind hearted, also having Lord Qing Shu's humble attitude, he is completely the opposite of his brother."
Xiong Jiao Man was surprised that her complaints sparked such a strong reaction from the Gu Yue clansmen. She was shocked to realize Fang Yuan was so disliked and seen as a failure by many.
She felt strange, asking, "Since he is so hated, why did no one teach him a lesson?"
The bamboo building fell completely silent.
The Gu Yue clansmen exchanged glances but remained quiet.
Many disliked Fang Yuan's attitude and his relentless pursuit of profit during tough times. Although people often criticized him, those who did usually ended up worse off.
Eventually, no one bothered to confront him anymore.
Fang Yuan became known as the leader of the top ten rising stars from the wolf tide.
All of this status came from his strength.
His battle strength was the strongest, making him the leader despite his bad reputation and poor relationships.
"That Fang Yuan again…" Gu Yue Yao Ji lightly frowned, muttering.
She had never seen Fang Yuan, but had already heard much about him. Towards Fang Yuan, she had a poor impression of him.
"This Fang Yuan, although my senior, the things he does are unforgivable, and he is so extreme. He dared to extort sister Jiao Man this time and got the Bear Enslavement Gu, not giving a hoot about our two clan's agreements. No, I must tell grandma and let her teach this Fang Yuan a lesson, otherwise our Gu Yue clan will be humiliated."
Thinking of this, the young girl suddenly felt that there was a need for a clan higher-up to come out and teach this Fang Yuan a lesson.
She naturally did not have this ability, but she felt that her grandma, medicine hall's Gu Yue Yao Ji could.
In her eyes, her grandma was omnipotent.