The Gu tournament finally concluded by evening.
On the alliance slope, the Gu Masters from all three clans were no longer separated as clearly as before.
The slope was now crowded with people, and only three faintly distinct clusters remained.
The Gu battle sparring served both as a way to release tension and as a form of compromise.
In a world where strength determines value, respect is only given to the powerful—and that's what makes cooperation possible.
After Xiong Li challenged Fang Yuan, no one else approached him.
Fang Yuan was just a newcomer, with little interaction with Gu Masters from the other clans and no existing grudges. As for his fellow clan members, they wouldn't challenge someone from their own side in this setting. Especially after Fang Yuan admitted defeat, most Gu Masters lost interest in him.
To them, there was no glory in defeating someone seen as 'lazy' and 'cowardly'.
There are two ways to avoid being stepped on—one is to grow strong enough that no one dares challenge you. The other is to make yourself so lowly, like dog shit, that no one wants to step on you at all.
Fang Yuan cared neither for disgrace nor reputation. He acted without scruples and focused only on results. Being left alone made things easier for him. He treated the scornful and disdainful stares around him as if they were nothing.
If he couldn't even endure this kind of attention, how could he ever walk the demonic path?
The alliance gathering ended smoothly, and the Gu Yue, Bai, and Xiong clans came to an agreement.
First, they established rules.
The three clans would temporarily set aside their rivalries to jointly resist the wolf tide. In times of danger, they would support one another. Internal killings were forbidden, and an investigative unit would be formed. If any murder occurred, the killer would be expelled from their clan and judged by all three clans, paying for the crime with their life. If the murderer fled, their family would face the consequences instead. Even if a Gu Master died, any Gu worms recovered from their corpse must be handed over to the clan. Using such Gu worms secretly would be considered murder. Once submitted, Gu worms could be exchanged for merit points.
Next, they introduced the battle merit board. Each small group would compete for points, and the board would display the real-time rankings and achievements of all three clans. A lightning wolf's eyeball was worth ten merit points. These points could be traded for Gu worms, primeval stones, and other resources. The merit board naturally ignited the fighting spirit of the Gu Masters. The results of sparring alone couldn't truly reflect someone's power in real combat.
Take Xiong Jiang and Bai Bing Yi, for example—aside from his Water Drill Gu, Bai Bing Yi had other offensive means, while Xiong Jiang's Shadow Bond Gu had a limited range of just ten meters.
Many external variables influenced real battles. Sparring lacked true credibility, but the merit board offered a more objective and competitive system.
Gu Masters from all three clans immediately set out to hunt lightning wolves, eager to improve their standings.
It wasn't just about personal pride—it was also about bringing honor to one's clan.
The top three spots on the merit board were especially contested.
Almost every day, the rankings at the top would shift.
In the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
Winter faded, and spring arrived, bringing new life and growth to the world.
After a skirmish, Fang Yuan stood on the lingering patches of snow.
He steadied his breathing while surveying the scene around him.
Scattered across the battlefield were more than ten slain lightning wolves.
Blood and torn flesh littered the area, filling the air with the heavy stench of gore.
Howl...
Wolf cries could be heard by Fang Yuan thanks to his Earth Communication Ear Grass.
If it was any other Gu Master, after an intense battle, without enough primeval essence in their aperture, they might have thoughts of retreating. But Fang Yuan did not care about this; he squatted down and began to gather the eyeballs from the wolf corpses.
His actions were smooth and highly efficient, yet by the time he finished collecting his spoils, he found himself nearly encircled by a wolf pack.
This was a mid-sized group, made up of about a hundred injured wolves.
Their green eyes glinted with hostility as they locked onto Fang Yuan.
Calmly, Fang Yuan secured the wolf eyes, then rose to his feet with a faint smile.
In the next instant, his figure shimmered like rippling water and disappeared without a trace.
The wolves that had been ready to pounce were thrown into disarray.
A few halted where they stood, showing signs of hesitation.
After all, they were still wild beasts—when faced with something so inexplicable, it was beyond their understanding.
"But, this is also because the lightning wolf king uses its eyes to observe, and not its nose. Lightning wolves are fantastical creatures of this world; their vision is sharp like an eagle, but their sense of smell is no better from humans. My Stealth Scales Gu counters these lightning wolves perfectly, but it cannot hide from a dog's nose." Fang Yuan was clear in his heart.
The Stealth Scales Gu was successfully refined by him—after all, it was merely a mortal Rank Two Gu worm. It resembled a fossilised carp, completely grey, lying in Fang Yuan's primeval sea as the liquid essence flowed around its lifelike fish scales.
The Fish Scale Gu that Fang Yuan lacked was naturally obtained by trading the Black Boar Gu with Qing Shu.
With the Stealth Scales Gu, Fang Yuan could slip away unnoticed right under the noses of the lightning wolves.
Over the past few days, this scenario had repeated itself several times.
Typically, wolves and hounds possess an acute sense of smell.
However, lightning wolves were different—they were incredibly fast, but without sharp vision, they'd often crash into trees or rocks.
Nature maintained its balance.
While lightning wolves were gifted with exceptional eyesight, it came at the cost of their sense of smell.
But the lightning crown wolf was an exception.
Though the Stealth Scales Gu allowed Fang Yuan to move freely within a normal wolf tide, it offered no protection from a beast king like the lightning crown wolf.
That was because the crown wolf possessed the Lightning Eye Gu within its eyes—this Gu gave it the ability to see through all forms of concealment.
Besides the Lightning Eye Gu, there were several other Gu worms capable of detecting Fang Yuan, even while stealthed.
For instance, the Snake Communication Gu could sense body heat.
The Beast Language Gu enabled communication with wild beasts, making it possible to gather intel.
The Clairaudience Gu enhanced a Gu Master's hearing to extraordinary levels.
So, even with the Stealth Scales Gu, Fang Yuan wasn't entirely safe.
At best, it served as a powerful escape tool.
When Fang Yuan returned to the village, it was still afternoon.
Spring sunlight bathed the village in warmth, and the roads were bustling.
Unlike previous years, the paths were filled mostly with Gu Masters, with very few mortals in sight.
Due to the ongoing wolf tide, the wilderness had become too dangerous.
Hunters avoided the mountains, and farms were largely abandoned.
The streets buzzed with energetic Gu Masters—many bore bloodstains from recent battles, while others strode off eagerly to hunt.
They chatted about the latest rankings on the battle merit board, shared tales of their lightning wolf kills, or discussed impressive Gu Masters from other villages.
Blending in with the crowd, Fang Yuan headed to the village square in front of the clan leader's pavilion.
A stage had been set up there for merit point exchanges.
Large numbers of Gu Masters gathered in the area, with Rank One Gu Masters handling the administrative tasks.
Several Rank Two Gu Masters squeezed in, trading bloodstained wolf eyes for merit points.
Others were using their points to claim primeval stones, Gu worms, food materials, and various supplies.
At the center of the square stood a towering banner covered in the written script of this world, its contents shifting constantly.
This was the battle merit board.
It was operated using over a dozen Swimword Gu.
These Rank One Swimword Gu were controlled by support-type Rank One Gu Masters, allowing the board's contents to update in real time.
"Hmph, why is the #1 still the Bai clan's Bai Bing Yi's group?" Some stared at the battle merit board, frowning.
"Let me see, Bai Bing Yi is #1, our clan's Qing Shu group is #2, and Xiong Li group is #3, my group is the 137th." A Gu Master counted.
This time, someone suddenly said, "It changed, it changed! Qing Shu group is now #1. They pushed Bai clan's Bai Bing Yi to #2!"
On the battle merit board, the symbol representing Qing Shu's group—previously in second place—suddenly began to move.
It climbed upward, dragging down Bai Bing Yi's group with animated 'hands', and claimed the top spot for itself.
Then, with a cheeky display, it used its 'foot' to stomp playfully in celebration.
This lifelike animation was, of course, the result of the Gu Master controlling the Swimword Gu.
The lively scene drew hearty laughter from the Gu Masters gathered in the square.
Many gave thumbs-up gestures toward Qing Shu's group, showering them with praise.
The Rank One Gu Master operating the Swimword Gu blushed with excitement, clearly pleased with the response.
"Lord Qing Shu, you are indeed our number one Rank two Gu Master!"
"Good job, Lord Qing Shu."
Gu Yue Qing Shu moved gracefully through the crowd, wearing a calm and gentle smile.
Trailing behind him was Gu Yue Fang Zheng, his fists clenched and his face glowing with excitement.
The chorus of praise echoing throughout the square deeply satisfied the youth's strong yearning for recognition and success. It made Fang Zheng feel as though he was walking a path full of light, unknowingly strengthening his loyalty and admiration for the clan.
"Big brother…" He saw Fang Yuan standing among the crowd, observing with his arms folded.
"Big brother, you are still alone, all by yourself. No wonder you have been at the bottom of the ranking every since the start. Only by removing your prejudice and fusing into the masses can you feel the warmth and happiness of the clan," Fang Zheng sighed, feeling that Fang Yuan was somewhat pitiful and pathetic.