Bai Ning Bing was sleeping when sounds of battles entered his ear.
His opened his eyes slightly, the slit of his eye shining with cold light.
"Another boring scene." He was sleeping on the edge of the cliff, and just turning around allowed him to have a clear view of the valley. He was about to go back to sleep, but suddenly saw a figure.
"Oh?" His eyes shone with shock as he saw Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was leaning against a tree, eating a wild fruit he had picked, staring coldly at the battlefield with no intention of helping. Not only that, but Fang Yuan also knew that Bai Ning Bing was nearby and had intentionally revealed himself to him.
Bai Ning Bing instantly grew interested, he had never met someone like this. From young, the people around him were all loyal to the clan, and indulged in kinship.
But from Fang Yuan, he felt a sense of familiarity, loneliness and aloofness.
"Who is he?" Bai Ning Bing's heart developed confusion and interest.
The wild fruit had just been picked, but with his experience, Fang Yuan could tell it wasn't harmful.
It was juicy, with a balance of sourness and sweetness. As he ate, his right ear twitched—he heard a sound nearby!
Fang Yuan's eyes gleamed as he turned, spotting a white-haired, white-clothed youth sliding down the cliff. He was using his ice blade to brake his descent, landing not far away.
"Finally you are here." Fang Yuan's eyes squinted, recognising him instantly.
Qing Mao Mountain's top genius and the pride of the Bai clan's rise—Bai Ning Bing had once slain a Rank three clan elder while still at Rank two. Now, at a young age, he had already advanced to Rank three, becoming a key figure capable of shifting the balance of power across the entire Qing Mao Mountain.
Any ordinary Gu Master encountering Bai Ning Bing alone would've shown signs of alarm—tension, wariness, or outright fear.
Yet Fang Yuan only glanced at him for a brief moment before turning his attention back to the valley, his expression steady and indifferent. After all, he was fully aware of Bai Ning Bing's hidden cards and secrets—he knew them thoroughly.
"Oh…" Bai Ning Bing strolled over, letting out a slow, drawn-out sound as he stared blankly at Fang Yuan.
There was a strange curiosity in his gaze, as if he were examining something completely unfamiliar.
Step by step, he approached, and the closer he came, the brighter his eyes sparkled. The interest he felt toward Fang Yuan only deepened.
"On this person, why do I sense a familiar smell? It feels like I've seen him before. Like long ago, we are already friends, this feeling!" Bai Ning Bing's heart was turbulent.
Friend — This word, he was always sceptical, despising, and even felt disdain towards it.
He had never imagined having a friend. The people around him existed only to admire him—they were never worthy of standing beside him as equals.
Bai Ning Bing had always believed he would live his life without ever truly having a friend.
But now—he felt something shift.
It was an unfamiliar yet undeniable sensation. When he looked at Fang Yuan, it was as if he were staring into a reflection of himself.
Bai Ning Bing unknowingly leaned in too close, prompting Fang Yuan to turn his head and meet his gaze with calm, unfathomable eyes.
In that moment, without a single word, Bai Ning Bing understood the message behind that look.
It was a warning.
He halted his steps, slightly stunned, very impolitely staring at Fang Yuan while saying, "Eh, you really are interesting."
If the Bai clan Gu Masters who knew him well heard this, they would likely be driven mad.
After all, since the day he was born, Bai Ning Bing had never once offered praise to anyone.
Fang Yuan paid him no mind, calmly biting into the wild fruit as he continued watching the fierce battle unfolding in the valley.
Bai Ning Bing walked in circles around Fang Yuan, examining him as though he were the most bizarre delicacy in the world. He scrutinized him from every possible angle—even going so far as to crouch down and peer up from the ground.
His snowy white hair, usually pristine and gleaming like crystal, trailed into the muddy dirt, yet he didn't seem to care.
Even his spotless white robe dragged along the ground, but he paid it no attention.
In that moment, Bai Ning Bing resembled a child seeing a new playmate—eyes filled with curiosity and yearning, repeatedly opening his mouth as if to speak, yet always falling silent.
He felt like there was so much he wanted to say to Fang Yuan.
But every time he was about to speak, the urge would fade—because somehow, deep down, he felt Fang Yuan already understood.
After being silent for a while, he asked, "The valley's battle is not interesting at all, what's there to look at."
Halfway through, his eyebrows raised, showing an expression of realization, "I see. You lured this wolf pack, you want to kill these Gu Masters, but why did you not do it yourself. Oh, afraid of leaving evidence. You are too vigilant, from your aura, you already have Rank two cultivation. If I were you, I'll just go ahead and do it myself!"
Suddenly, he chuckled like he had seen the most fun toy in this world as a kid. His eyebrows darted around, "You are really interesting, even the things you do are interesting. Hehehe, I am starting to like you!"
Fang Yuan retracted his gaze, turning around and looking at Bai Ning Bing.
He knew this person. In fact, he knew him too well.
This person was like Fang Yuan's shadow, except that Fang Yuan was deeper down the path, and Bai Ning Bing was more pure.
"Bai Ning Bing, Bai Ning Bing…" Fang Yuan sighed in his heart, saying slowly, "You're very lonely, huh."
Bai Ning Bing's eyes widened, squatting on the floor, nodding continuously, empathising and sighing, "Yes, these days, life has been super boring. Some time ago, I killed a Xiong clan Gu Master and that was somewhat fun. Getting this Gu, look."
Fang Yuan looked at the Plunder Gu in his hand, starting to laugh, "So, you want to kill me?"
Bai Ning Bing's eyes turned from black to blue crystal colour as he jumped up and straightened his body.
"Hahaha!" He raised his head and laughed thrice, staring at Fang Yuan with an excited expression, "You do know! That's right, I want to kill you, come kill me too. Life and death battles are the most fun, meeting someone as interesting as you, I swear I've never done anything so interesting!"
He got more and more excited as he suddenly opened both arms, arching his head and sighing, "Ahhhh! I can feel that my life had never been so colourful! Thank you, thank you, although I don't know your name, thank you for letting me kill you!!! Hehehe…"
"Do not worry, you are only a Rank two, I will not lower myself and take advantage of you. I shall restrict my cultivation to the same rank for your sake; so come, let's have a fair fight!" Bai Ning Bing roared with savage laughter.
Facing the crazy Bai Ning Bing, Fang Yuan easily maintained a languid expression. He met the heated glare in an equal manner, responding coolly.
"Wanna kill me, then come."
Nothing left to say, Fang Yuan took the first step, his body drifting away like a falling petal.
Bai Ning Bing's laugh came to an abrupt stop at this, his voice easily tainted with anguish.
"Don't you run from me!"
He instantly ran after, engaging Fang Yuan in a relentless chase.
"Hmm, even with my current strength, it will be hard to kill Bai Ning Bing, but it's not impossible. After all, I can force him into multiple fights with other groups and finally finish him off. However, Bai Ning Bing shouldn't die now—he can still be of use later," Fang Yuan thought as he sprinted toward the mountain valley.
Disturbed by the two barging into the valley's inner battlefield, the wolf pack reacted with fury, wasting no time in attacking Fang Yuan and Bai Ning Bing.
The Gu Masters who had already been forced into the valley and lost one man noticed the spectacle, the remaining four revealing a relieved expression when they saw saw the wolves become distracted.
"Hang in there guys, reinforcements are here!" One even shouted loudly, blatantly trying to encourage the wolves against the newcomers.
"Why is there only two?" Another asked, clueless while they saw the muffled figures of Fang Yuan and Bai Ning Bing.
But as they got closer, Gu Yue Man Shi's face turned weird with realization.
"It's him!"
It was impossible for him to forget Fang Yuan. A sharp mix of fear and shame surged within him—the man who had once defeated and humiliated him in front of everyone. Those cold, unfeeling eyes had carved out the deepest nightmare in his heart. That terrifying moment, and the ruthless man tied to it, were forever etched in his memory.
He had once vowed to grow stronger and restore his dignity.
But now, with Fang Yuan appearing to 'rescue' him, Gu Yue Man Shi felt a whirlwind of conflicted emotions inside.
"Wait, the second person is…"
They all were able to recognise Bai Ning Bing, and showed collective signs of shock at his appearance.
"Bai Ning Bing . . . Bai Ning Bing!" Gu Yue Man Shi's eyes widened, he did not expect in the least to suddenly see Bai Ning Bing appear under such a situation.
"Scumbag, stop right there!" Behind him, Bai Ning Bing was continuing to shout vehemently.