Liu Nan had considered whether Fang Yuan's healing might be some kind of one-trick pony or have a weakness he could exploit, which is why he had switched to a different kind of Poison Path method: Rank 5 Venomous Glare Gu! It generated a cloud of noxious fumes wherever one looked at it.
The drawback was that using it for too long could result in cataracts and blindness for the Gu Master in question. However, Liu Nan had a specific kind of antitoxin gu worm to counteract this effect. Still, it didn't look like he had found any kind of flaw in Fang Yuan's healing gu, as Fang Yuan remained as lively as ever.
'In such a case,' Liu Nan thought to himself. His belly swelled up once more as he shot out an even larger stream of green fluid. This one, however, did not dissolve the field, but rather stuck to it. With just a few more attacks like that, he had managed to cover most of the field in a greenish slime. Shang Yan Fei did not recognize this gu worm, nor did anyone else in the crowd. Its effect did not seem to be direct damage, but rather to impair the enemy's movement.
Liu Nan watched Fang Yuan warily. This was Sticky Bile Gu. Although it did not dissolve or possess poisonous properties, it would stick to Gu Masters, being incredibly difficult to get off and restricting their movements. It was also very hard to avoid, given its wide area of effect.
Fang Yuan, however, seemed to have a counter towards this. His cheeks suddenly swelled like that of a chipmunk's before he spat out a massive stream of water, which washed away most of the slime present on the field.
'That's my clan's Water Spout Gu,' Bai Ning Bing noticed. Fang Yuan was once again using the Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique to amplify its effect.
He followed it up with more Frost Moonglow Gu, freezing the water over and turning the tables on Liu Nan. Both of them paused, staring at each other.
Even though they were mostly using Rank 4 gu worms until now, they had consumed large amounts of primeval essence. They could go back to using Rank 5 gu, however, should they do so, they would likely run out of primeval essence completely. Whatever they chose to do, they had to think about it quite carefully.
'Fang Yuan is a tougher opponent than I anticipated,' Liu Nan thought. His master had told him that it would be difficult to beat Fang Yuan, but he had not appreciated the extent of this until he had come face-to-face with Fang Yuan in person. Fang Yuan was certainly stronger than any of the disciples he had fought against.
Fang Yuan also noted that Liu Nan was no slouch either. Fang Yuan was not going to underestimate Lu Nan; only a fool thought that their enemy was stupid. But there was one thing which had taken him by surprise.
In the VIP box, Wei Yang turned towards Shang Yan Fei. "So, you've noticed that, haven't you?"
"Yes, I have," Wei Yang said. "We had thought that Liu Nan was a Dark Path Gu Master, but that appears to be wrong. He is Poison Path instead."
Just that knowledge alone was worth coming to this kind of fight. The Dark Path inheritance he had sold Shang Ya Zi really was from some kind of unrelated disciple.
Fang Yuan, however, had passed this little test, and was not the slightest bit hampered by this revelation. He had considered that the Dark Path gu worm sales might have been a smokescreen to hide Liu Nan's true abilities.
What was odd was that his true specialization was the Poison Path - a pathway normally known to belong to demonic Gu Masters. Not what one would expect of a supposedly upright Gu Master like Liu Nan.
Liu Nan glanced at the ice that surrounded him. He had multiple ways of breaking through it. However, it looked like Fang Yuan would just try to remake it once again, and then the cycle would repeat over and over with neither of them making much headway.
'If I use that Gu worm right now,' he thought to himself, 'there is the risk of Fang Yuan countering it, but based on my own estimation, I have the advantage over Fang Yuan when it comes to primeval essence.'
Fang Yuan was also considering how to proceed. None of his prior attacks had been all that useful against Liu Nan.
Then Liu Nan took out a massive gu worm from his aperture.
It was a massive moth the size of a whale, colored a deep purple, whose wings were dyed in all the colors of the rainbow. With each flap of its wings, green dust emerged around it, enveloping it as Liu Nan hopped atop its back.
"That is... it can't be. Poison Perspiring Mountain Monarch Moth!" Shang Yan Fei said, recognizing it. It was a first-class, Rank 5 mount type gu worm of the Poison Path.
The mist that surrounded it was not just for show; it was a defensive shield which could be used by Poison Path Gu Masters to enhance their own defenses, and to those who did not have any defense against it, it was extraordinarily lethal.
Given the quantity of mist that it could emanate with every single flap of its wings, even a healing Gu Master who was dedicated to countering it would find it difficult for their primeval essence to keep up.
"Take this, Fang Yuan!" Liu Nan yelled out, advancing forward through the air. He now had the Poison Perspiring Mountain Monarch Moth to shield himself from any blows. If Fang Yuan wanted to fight him, then he would have to wander into the cloud of poison, depleting a massive amount of primeval essence to counteract the poison and thereby giving Liu Nan the advantage. On the other hand, Liu Nan could simply kite Fang Yuan from the skies, having the advantage of being in the air.
Offense, defense, and primeval essence recovery - Liu Nan's mount allowed him to take firm advantage of all aspects.
The Poison Perspiring Mountain Monarch Moth was indeed so lethal that some of the Gu Masters at the periphery of the arena were having trouble containing its fumes.
"Quick, quick! We can't let it get to the crowd! You there, keep working!"
"Lady Shang Xin Ci, we need primeval stones to keep up with the expenditure of counteracting the poison gas!"
Shang Xin Ci waved her hand, giving the go-ahead for this.
Liu Nan saw this and limited the spread of the mist for the time being. "Fang Yuan, you're at a huge disadvantage here. Even if you take a whiff of this poisonous mist without the protection of gu worms, it may end up being your end before you can be saved. It's for your own benefit that you surrender."
Fang Yuan glared at Lu Nan coolly and said, "Are you just going to talk, or are you going to fight?"
"So be it, don't blame me if I kill you!" Liu Nan said. The Poison Perspiring Mountain Monarch Moth moved forward, screeching as it did so. The sound waves alone were enough to shatter rocks, but Fang Yuan was undeterred, moving around the battlefield, throwing ranged ice attacks at it.