"Everyone! Give me your primeval stones!" First gen Gu Yue said. Without primeval stones, he could not regain any primeval essence being a zombie.
"Don't you idiots see you're only fueling your own demise!" Lord Sky Crane shouted in vain as hundreds of primeval stones were tossed at first gen Gu Yue, who greedily scooped all of them up.
Fang Yuan knew that Lord Sky Crane was right, but there was little alternative that the villagers had. Most of them had already been gravely injured by Bloodline Annihilation Gu, with only the efforts of healing gu worms keeping them going.
Outside, Lord Sky Crane began slaughtering whoever he could find, whether Gu Yue clansmen or not.
Fang Yuan for his part used the Rank 4 Stone Aperture Gu. It was clear that the time for action had come, and if his cultivation was any lower he was without a doubt going to get crushed before the might of such giants.
"Ah, thank you all," first gen Gu Yue said once he was done eating the primeval stones, before he struck out into the air, decapitating a Gu Yue clansmen.
The Gu Yue clan members were shocked by this display. First gen Gu Yue took the blood of the clan member, taking out a skull-shaped gu from his aperture. All of the blood gathered within that skull, and as he poured it over himself, not a single drop spilled onto the ground surprisingly enough.
'Blood Skull Gu...' Fang Yuan thought.
"Thief!" Lord Sky Crane screeched, looking like he was about to burst every single vein on his forehead out of anger. "That gu is mine! MINE! I will pry it from your cold, dead, hands before I piss on your corpse!"
"Ancestor! What are you doing? Didn't we help you? Why-" the clan head was protesting this action before he too, was swiftly killed and his blood added to Blood Skull Gu.
"Silence! You wanted to help, didn't you! Then help- with your blood. Ah, its such a misfortunate that the one who was to have the Ancient Yin Desolate Moon Physique still hasn't awakened, else you all would not need to die," First gen Gu Yue said.
"Demon! Paying our kindness back with such slaughter!"
"We never should've trusted him in the first place!"
Fang Yuan sighed. Most clans got an ancestor who would save them when awakened- why was he unlucky and transmigrated into the body of someone whose ancestor himself was the biggest threat to their lives?
"No!" Yu Sai screamed as Li Mei was also slain, having not even an instant to say her farewell. "Why you bast-"
"Don't worry, don't worry, you can join her," First gen Gu Yue said, killing Yu Sai as well. "A pity... given that I had worked so hard to raise all of you. But, what can be helped? That little mosquito up there is a lot more pesky than I'd imagined."
He then wandered over to Fang Yuan, but was pushed back by Bai Ning Bing.
"Ancestor, don't forget, I know where a valued inheritance is," Fang Yuan said. "I can lead you there so long as you spare my life."
"Hmph! What would a mere mortal inheritance interest me-"
"It is an Immortal Inheritance," Fang Yuan said.
First gen Gu Yue paused. Bai Ning Bing's attempts did little to stop him, only slow him down slightly. "Ah... a delectable lie, but a lie nonetheless I think. But even if it is true, don't worry, I will find a way to soul search your body after your demise. You've shown yourself to be far too crafty to be easily controlled. I had initially thought of keeping you alive as a breeding stallion to replenish the stock of Gu Yue villagers once I was done here given your Rank 4 cultivation prowess, but I can already tell it is not worth the hassle. I will see if what you're telling me is true after you've been slain." He extended a talon towards Fang Yuan, but an icy blast swatted it aside.
"Fang Yuan," Bai Ning Bing said, stepping between him and first gen Gu Yue. "I have a favor to ask of you... though I can help you right now..."
"A favor? Like what?"
"I am nearing the end of my life," Bai Ning Bing said. A swipe from first gen Gu Yue nearly decapitated him, but this wound healed up instantly as it was covered by a layer of frost. It was clear that this was the Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique at its peak. "Since I can't make my life interesting... I want you to live on for me. Live an exceptional and full life, Fang Yuan."
"Agreed."
"Hmph- the Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique? If only you were a Gu Yue clansmen, then the others wouldn't have to die," first gen Gu Yue said. Even with its full power, Bai Ning Bing was not a match for first gen Gu Yue currently.
That was, until he erupted.
In an instant, all of Qing Mao mountain was encased in a thick layer of ice- ice so dense that it would not melt even under the heat of the midsummer sun.
Everything and everyone was caught up in this icy blast, whether human, wolf, or crane.
Only one small area remained untouched- that was around Fang Yuan!
First gen Gu Yue was encased in ice, but Fang Yuan was not naive enough to think that it would kill him. An old monster like him must've had numerous methods to defend himself against an attack like this.
Lord Sky Crane still hovered overhead, having avoided the blast, and just waiting for the Blood Curtain Skyflower Gu to dissipate.
There was only one option left for Fang Yuan to survive now.
'System, retrieve the Spring Autumn Cicada.'
Unsealing and withdrawing the Spring Autumn Cicada...
A moment later, a bright flash of light erupted from the mountain, flying fast as a plane towards Fang Yuan's aperture.
As it was unsealed, there was no hiding its aura anymore.
"Rank 6 aura!" Lord Sky Crane screamed. "So you weren't lying when you said there was an Immortal Inheritance? Quickly, tell me where it is, and I'll help you kill this bastard ancestor of yours, and even consider sparing your life!"
Cultivation blessing activated- using the Spring Autumn Cicada now has a 100% success rate!
The gu's Rank 6 Aura was such that it was beginning to crack even the stone walls of Fang Yuan's aperture. However, he only need it to last but a few moment's worth of time.
First gen Gu Yue burst out from the ice as if it were nothing. Why had he pretended to be encased all this time? Perhaps he had been biding time, or the method to break the ice so fast took a lot of resources.
Without a doubt though, what had awakened him was the Rank 6 aura of the Spring Autumn Cicada. Who wouldn't be moved when presented with the prospect of a Rank 6 gu worm?
"Junior, hand me that gu worm and I will consider sparing your-" he began, but Fang Yuan never heard what he had to say.
He exploded, as his will was carried through the River of Time, going backwards. During his first such journey, he had not noticed much about the River of Time itself, though he was now able to make out certain details.
The river itself was vast and narrow seemingly at the same time. Strange creatures moved through it, and much of it was veiled by a thick mist. Fang Yuan was able to see this all through the cicada's eyes, given that he was nothing more than a collection of thoughts.
The Spring Autumn Cicade took his will over a strange island of stone that suddenly appeared through the wall of mist. Upon this island, there were several red lotuses blooming, and Fang Yuan swore he could see a figure standing atop the island, looking at him, before the Spring Autumn Cicada descended back into the river.
He had regressed once again!