In the dark night, beneath the scattered stars in the sky, the moon shone brightly as cold winds erupted across the plains.
On the grasslands lay a crescent-shaped lake fifteen thousand meters long and five thousand meters wide. Both ends of the lake curved inward, while the middle section was broad like a crescent moon. The lake was tranquil, reflecting the radiance of the crescent hanging in the sky upon its surface.
It was Crescent Lake.
Aquatic plants flourished here, and the surrounding region was peaceful, with countless lifeforms inhabiting it. Such as the three-horned rhinoceros, water wolves, iron shell flower dragonfish, sharp cliff grass, and many others.
Ge Tribe arrived at Crescent Lake and established their enormous camp along the lakeside. Even during the night, Gu Masters bustled everywhere, managing affairs in a frantic manner.
Hunting groups departed to gather meat and materials for storage.
Fang Yuan observed the scene for a moment before summoning Ge Guang.
"I will leave the camp with the wolf group. The burden of feeding them has already exceeded what the tribe can handle, so I should contribute and lessen the pressure… at the same time, I will thoroughly scout the surroundings. It will benefit the tribe."
Ge Guang had been worried that Chang Shan Yin would request something troublesome, but instead, he had taken the initiative to help. Joy immediately flashed across his face as he replied respectfully, "Supreme elder… understood. You may summon me if you have any further orders!"
Ge Guang's attitude was extremely humble, placing himself beneath Fang Yuan as a subordinate.
Fang Yuan nodded toward him and dismissed him before standing up.
Some time later, Fang Yuan departed with the massive wolf group. There were night wolves, water wolves, wind wolves, poisonous beard wolves, and many other types of wolves.
Fang Yuan rode atop a white-eyes wolf, a mutated beast. The wolf group devoured a feast of meat from small and medium-sized beast groups while Fang Yuan watched silently.
"That should be enough. I've gone far enough."
Fang Yuan shook his head and used Wolf Cave Gu. Blue smoke rapidly spread from his hands, enveloping the entire wolf group.
The level of his primeval essence sharply declined as he poured it into Wolf Cave Gu before the wolf group vanished completely.
Fang Yuan looked into his aperture once more and observed Wolf Cave Gu.
Wolf Cave Gu resembled a hollow stone, and if one looked carefully, they could see countless tiny dots within it — Fang Yuan's wolf group. The wolves were sleeping peacefully, their injuries slowly healing, and they would not need food for as long as they remained inside the Gu.
However, once he released them, he would have to feed them again.
After concealing his tracks behind him, Fang Yuan flew toward the familiar stone forest.
Following a hidden passage within the stone forest, he eventually arrived before a stone pillar.
"Whether in my previous life or this life, Ma Hong Yun will never obtain Thieving Heaven's inheritance…"
Excitement surged within Fang Yuan as he sliced open a wound on his hand, pressed it against the blood-stained stone pillar, and whispered:
"I want."
Fang Yuan inspected the stone pillar with his investigative methods, but found nothing unusual before his body suddenly vanished and his vision instantly changed.
When his senses returned, he found himself inside a room.
A strange scent lingered in the air, born from repeated Gu refinement attempts. Dragon pillars, golden curtains, lanterns, swans, and crimson windows decorated the room magnificently.
There was also an elderly man sitting cross-legged upon a cloud bed, his eyes closed as though meditating. He was thin, with white hair and a beard that reached his chest. His face carried the gentle appearance of a child, and he wore a wide robe with sleeves fluttering in the air.
Fang Yuan laughed pleasantly as he said:
"Successor of Demon Venerable Thieving Heaven, Fang Yuan, greets Lang Ya land spirit."
He touched his chest and slightly bowed toward Lang Ya land spirit.
Lang Ya land spirit deeply frowned as he stroked his beard and muttered:
"Hm? This disguise of yours… ah right, the secret code! The secret code!"
Fang Yuan laughed.
"Land spirit, there is no such thing. Forget about it!"
His words caused the land spirit's frown to deepen even further. His gaze sharpened as though he intended to see through Fang Yuan completely, but after a while, his expression changed.
Lang Ya land spirit slightly widened his eyes and carefully examined him before saying:
"Amazing! Amazing!… Your disguise is truly extraordinary! Even I cannot discern your true appearance despite knowing you are disguised as someone else!… This feels like pasting on a mask that cannot be pierced or removed!… Tell me, little friend, did you create this killer move yourself?!"
Fang Yuan was about to speak, but Lang Ya land spirit continued excitedly:
"This killer move is simply marvelous! It does not only contain the profundities of transformation path, but also the profundities of refinement path!… You are using yourself as material to create a mask of dao marks, just like materials that take shape according to the arrangement of their dao marks! Hahaha!… Tell me, little friend, are you willing to sell this killer move?!"
Fang Yuan helplessly shook his head as he replied:
"That would be difficult. This killer move was created by my ancestor, and before his death, he told me it was his gift to me… It's not that I am unwilling to sell it, but…"
A sorrowful expression appeared on Fang Yuan's face, yet Lang Ya land spirit insisted:
"Little friend!… Think about it! This killer move is merely a mortal killer move. Your ancestor was certainly impressive and possessed extremely high attainment in transformation path and refinement path… but if you sell it to me, you will gain profits that will benefit you for your entire life!"
Lang Ya land spirit urged him repeatedly, but Fang Yuan remained firm.
"Elder, can you not take pity on an old man like me, trapped here and suffering from endless boredom?! I possess countless Immortal Gu recipes, but I've already studied them countless times… Listen to me, you can sell it to me, and I'll let you do anything you want with me!"
Fang Yuan's refusal caused the land spirit to grow furious.
"Fine! If you refuse to hand it over, then once I skin you alive and search your soul, I'll obtain it anyway!"
Lang Ya land spirit looked as though he were about to pounce on Fang Yuan, but Fang Yuan calmly remained in place and said:
"Lang Ya land spirit, who are you trying to deceive? You are the inheritor of Demon Venerable Thieving Heaven, you cannot harm me!… But since you desire it so badly, I'll give it to you. However, first, you must refine Gu for me!"
Lang Ya land spirit instantly became delighted and asked:
"You have three opportunities for Gu refinement. Whether immortal or mortal, all refinement materials will be provided by me. While I can guarantee the success of mortal Gu refinement, I cannot guarantee the success of Immortal Gu refinement. If refinement fails, it will still count as one attempt."
Fang Yuan nodded and handed two Immortal Gu recipes to Lang Ya land spirit.
Lang Ya land spirit read through the Immortal Gu recipes, and gradually, his expression shifted from suspicion to admiration, then praise, and finally disbelief.
"Amazing! Amazing, boy!… These Immortal Gu recipes have reached perfection!… This rank six Immortal Myriad Self Gu has at least a fifty percent success rate — no, sixty percent!… And the success rate of Immortal All-Out Effort Gu is even higher!"
Lang Ya land spirit breathed heavily as he stared at the Immortal Gu recipes as though they were priceless treasures.
"Were these Immortal Gu recipes also left behind by your ancestor?!… I estimate he must have been a grand grandmaster in refinement path!"
Lang Ya land spirit gave an extremely high evaluation as he raised his thumb.
"Young master… would you allow me to study these recipes?… How about this? Give me more time to study them, and I'll give you some gifts in return!"
Fang Yuan laughed inwardly at how Lang Ya land spirit's form of address had shifted from "little friend," to "elder," and now to "young master."
"No problem. You may study the Immortal Gu recipes, on the condition that I participate in the refinement process… Also, I need to arrange a formation taught to me by my ancestor, but I'll require some immortal materials to set it up. Can you provide them for me?"
Lang Ya land spirit was overjoyed and only wished to continue studying the Immortal Gu recipes. He impatiently replied:
"No problem, little friend! These immortal materials are all easy to gather!"