Fang Yuan stood motionless, watching as the crippled wolves vanished into the wind and snow.
There was no need to flaunt his strength if he could keep it hidden.
Once he confirmed that the pack had fully retreated, he began scavenging from the fallen wolves.
Wolf pelts, fangs, and other parts still held value. Though their individual worth was modest, the sheer volume made up for it.
Over the past few months, Fang Yuan had earned a steady income from the remains of these crippled wolves.
The blood seeping from their bodies was still warm.
Some of the wolves clung to life, their eyes flickering with a faint spark of vitality.
"In this world, not only humans but all living things are struggling to survive. This world is using life and death to unfold a brilliant stage!" Fang Yuan sighed before ruthlessly killing off these dying wolves.
A crippled wolf's fighting strength was higher than two jade eye stone monkeys. Under the coordination with the pack, their fighting strength would double.
"I can still deal with these small-scale crippled wolf packs. But it would be troublesome to handle large scale crippled wolf packs or a small scale healthy wolf pack."
Fang Yuan could feel a faint pressure.
"The wolf tide will break out soon and the whole clan will be mobilized. I won't be able to act aloof. If I want to hunt the lightning wolves by myself, I must have a scouting or movement-type Gu. Otherwise, I will fall to the wolf tide."
Fang Yuan clearly recognized his shortcomings due to his ample experience.
"Thanks to my hard work, I will also be reaching Rank two upper stage in a few weeks. With that improvement, my strength will increase once again. My supply of primeval stones is still plentiful, thanks to the reward for pushing away the River Swallowing Toad."
Fang Yuan had already prepared ahead of time and was now mostly just going with the flow of time. One could say, he was barely, but already able to stand in the top ranks among the Rank two Gu Masters of the clan.
Why it was barely, was because he was not truly at the upper stage, and at the same time his aptitude was also only C-grade and was thus very limited.
Being able to accomplish this much with his fighting strength was already the best result, but fighting strength was only one aspect in surviving the wolf tide.
Fang Yuan planned in his mind and stood up.
He had swiftly arranged the spoils of war in a short period and packed them in a bag which he then carried on his back.
The snow continued to fall and soon froze the wolf blood, covering their corpses.
"Look, Fang Yuan is back."
"He is carrying a bag, did he go out to hunt the crippled wolves again?"
"It was him that saved our village?"
"Hey, it was only by a stroke of luck. We both know how it went, if I had such great strength, I could also do that. It's no big deal."
As Fang Yuan walked through the village, the people made way for him; there were praises, curiosity and also envy.
"Fang Yuan!" Chi Shan suddenly appeared from a corner and shouted.
"What's the matter?" Fang Yuan looked at Chi Shan.
Even in the depths of winter, he remained bare-chested, his crimson skin radiating heat like a living furnace.
Snowflakes that touched his body melted the moment they landed.
This was all thanks to the Double Orifice Stove Gu within his aperture.
The Stove Gu was a Rank two Gu worm that stored internal heat for offensive purposes, with its ability to ward off cold being merely a secondary effect.
Chi Shan's expression was complicated, he stared at Fang Yuan and said gravely, "Do you know that these days, Xiong Li from the Xiong clan has been finding you for a contest of strength?"
"I know," Fang Yuan nodded.
Chi Shan sighed, "Xiong Li finding you for a contest of strength is not a mere competition, but it involves the interest allocation of the three clans' alliance. Under the wolf tide, non-alliance means destruction. But after forming an alliance, the biggest problem is how to distribute the interests and profits. These days, the three clans have been at a stalemate due to that."
Fang Yuan glanced at Chi Shan and instantly understood his purpose.
Negotiation was never easy.
The three clans had conflicting interests and wouldn't compromise without a fight.
In this world, strength came first, kinship second.
The clans of Qing Mao Mountain had long-standing grudges.
Kinship meant little between them, so strength was the only way to shift the balance.
On Earth, nations used military drills to show power.
Here, Gu battles served the same role—displaying might to gain advantage.
Xiong Li challenging Fang Yuan was simply part of this game.
As expected, Chi Shan said next, "I have competed with Xiong Li, he has the Brown Bear Innate Strength Gu and already possesses the strength of one bear. He also has the Grand Bear Gu, and can increase his strength by another bear. Together he has two bear's strength. I am far beyond his match, as much as I want to deny it. But as Qing Mao Mountain's number one strongest person, the title belongs to him no doubt."
He paused for a while, then continue, "Let's talk business. Your strength is around mine, so you are not his match either. But you cannot lose, as you were the one who woke up the River Swallowing Toad, the hero that saved Qing Mao Mountain. Once you lose, our Gu Yue Clan's interests will be compromised. So for the clan's interests, discard your personal honor and avoid battle!"
Fang Yuan stared silently at Chi Shan.
Chi Shan looked down, "I know that this matter towards you is very difficult. After all, avoiding the competition has a disastrous damage towards one's own reputation. But it is for the interests of the clan; if you lose, the clan would have to give up much more. The clan has nurtured us, we naturally have to contribute to the clan right? The clan needs you. Sacrificing your own reputation for the clan is only natural! But this matter started due to me, so in my personal name, I will compensate you for it, as part of my goodwill."
Saying so, Chi Shan handed Fang Yuan a large money bag.
Fang Yuan weighed it, and chuckled, "So my reputation is only worth two hundred primeval stones?"
Chi Shan could hear the sarcasm in his words, his gaze sharpened as he said solemnly, "Fang Yuan, please do not have any indignant feelings! Earlier, I tried to console you with kind words, but the truth is I'm here with a mission. Avoiding the competition is the clan higher-up's orders. Regardless of what you think, this is an order. I hope you understand your position."
Saying so, he turned around and left, leaving deep footprints in the snow.
Fang Yuan looked at Chi Shan's back as his eyes revealed a sign of understanding. "In order to get the greatest benefits, the clan has already used the event of me chasing away the River Swallowing Toad as a chip in the negotiation. To the clan, I am but a chess piece. Xiong Li is the same, and Chi Shan is also a chess piece. What is sad is that these people are willingly being pawn pieces, even basking in its glory and finding it natural; this is truly a successful brainwash by the clan. But I originally did not want to compete with Xiong Li anyway, the so-called reputation is merely praises from others. This chain that binds people has captured many heroes and geniuses in the past. But to me, what loss is there? Hehe, I have to thank Chi Shan for sending me two hundred primeval stones."
Why did Xiong Li challenge him? Just because he had the glory of saving the village. Why did Chi Shan challenge Xiong Li? For the title of Qing Mao Mountain's strongest.
Reputation—just a hollow lure. It tempts, deceives, and controls countless lives.
How pitiful.
Snow kept falling. Gu Yue village stood silently in the white. People hurried past on the streets.
"What's laughable is that these people have had their bodies trapped by this fictitious glory!" Fang Yuan's eyes drooped down as his eerie dark iris was half-covered by hair.
The light reflecting from the snow shone on his face. The young man's face was pale and had a sort of coldness.
Suddenly laughing, Fang Yuan recited a poem,
"White snow blankets the land as
I travel alone through heaven and earth.
Alone without any attachments,
my solitary shadow travels freely."
He moved forward, unhurried, every step echoing with purpose.
Around him, the world surged in chaos. Clansmen bustled, snow poured from the heavens like falling stars, and the village, blanketed in white, stood like a ghost of itself.
But Fang Yuan?
He walked alone—cold, steady, untouchable like a phantom cutting through time.
While others ran, burdened by fear, duty, or desperation, he walked—alone, untouched, unstoppable.
The snow could not touch him.
The noise could not reach him.
The village, the people, the sky—they were nothing but a fading backdrop to a figure carving his path through fate itself.