For the duel that took place, the Tie Clan duo was also present. The real reason Fang Yuan agreed to duel was due to their presence—he knew they would find it suspicious that a commoner without any significant backing had suddenly gained the favor of so many elders. To avoid unnecessary scrutiny, he had no choice but to prove his strength through combat.
Furthermore, he lacked the capability to subdue a Rank 5 Gu Master at this moment. Even if he did possess the means, doing so would require him to release all the subjugated individuals under his control, as maintaining dominance over a Rank 5 would drain an immense amount of his soul's strength. Rank 5 was, after all, the peak of the mortal realm, and attempting such a feat prematurely would be far too risky.
After that day, Fang Yuan went underground to collect a recipe for a Rank 3 Gu, which was his reward for becoming an elder of the clan. He selected a random Gu, as none of the available options particularly caught his interest.
After two days, a meeting was held between the Tie Clan duo and the elders of the Gu Yue Clan regarding an issue the Tie Clan wished to address.
Fang Yuan sat beside the Mo Clan representative.
"We wish to investigate a murder," Tie Xue Leng stated to the clan leader and elders. "An anonymous informant has brought this matter to our attention, and for their safety, we will not be disclosing their identity."
At that moment, Fang Yuan gave a discreet signal to the Mo Family head, who immediately understood his master's directive.
"Sir, I understand this is an important matter," the Mo Family head responded respectfully, "but we are currently struggling to fend off the beast wave. Our forces are stretched thin, and we may even lose our lives in protecting the clan. Would you be willing to assist us in eliminating the beasts? In return, we will fully cooperate with your investigation."
As soon as the Mo Family head finished speaking, the other elders nodded in unison. They understood his underlying message—if the Tie Clan assisted in fighting the beasts, the burden on their clans would be significantly reduced, and fewer of their people would die compared to the other two clans.
Seeing the collective agreement of the elders, the Tie Clan duo felt a sense of helplessness. Their true objective was to find the Blood Path Gu Master hiding within the clan, but they had yet to uncover any leads. Tie Xue Leng could have simply eliminated the suspects outright and ended his mission quickly, but that would mean abandoning his principles of righteousness. Killing innocent people would go against everything he stood for.
After a moment of silence, he sighed. "Very well. We accept your request. Come, Ruo Nan. We will deal with the beasts."
With that, the two left, and the elders and clan leader rejoiced, cheering loudly at having secured the Tie Clan's assistance in fighting the beast wave.
After that, the Tie Clan duo, alongside the Gu Yue clan, cleared out the remaining high-ranked beasts. With the beast wave temporarily resolved, Tie Ruo Nan began roaming the clan, while Tie Xue Leng focused on searching for the Blood Path Gu Master hidden within the territory.
Just as the situation seemed to be settling, an unforeseen crisis arose—a Myrid Beast King suddenly emerged from the depths of the wilderness. The creature was a massive mutated lightning wolf, its body crackling with blue arcs of electricity. Its sharp, glowing eyes fixated on the clan as it sprinted toward them at terrifying speed. From the immense aura it emitted, it was evident that its strength was equivalent to that of a Rank 5 Initial Stage Gu Master.
Panic spread among the elders as they witnessed the monstrous creature closing in. Realizing they had no means to resist such a powerful beast, they immediately rushed to Tie Xue Leng, pleading for his aid. They invoked the principles of righteousness, urging him to step forward and eliminate the threat before it reached the heart of the clan.
Tie Xue Leng, his face calm yet sharp as a blade, narrowed his eyes at the incoming beast. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, activating his Metal Path Gu as metallic energy surged around his body. The air grew tense as the clash between man and beast was about to begin.
The mutated lightning wolf snarled, its fangs crackling with arcs of electricity. With a burst of speed, it lunged at Tie Xue Leng, leaving behind a streak of flashing light as its claws aimed straight for his chest. In response, Tie Xue Leng raised his hand, activating Iron Wall Gu—a dense metallic barrier materialized around him just in time, deflecting the beast's strike with a loud clang.
Without missing a beat, he countered. His Steel Lance Gu extended from his palm, forming a long spear-like weapon. With a precise thrust, he struck at the wolf's exposed side, only for the beast to twist its body midair and narrowly evade the piercing blow. Instead of retreating, it retaliated, releasing a powerful Thunder Howl—a blast of lightning surged from its mouth, illuminating the battlefield with blinding radiance.
Tie Xue Leng gritted his teeth as he activated Magnetic Guard Gu, redirecting part of the lightning away from him, but some of the residual force still managed to burn his sleeves. The wolf took advantage of the brief distraction and lunged again, its electrified claws now aiming for his legs.
Reacting swiftly, Tie Xue Leng stomped the ground, activating Metal Spikes Gu. Sharp metallic pillars erupted beneath the beast, piercing into its limbs and forcing it to leap backward, snarling in pain. Blood trickled from its injuries, but its eyes burned with even greater fury.
Seizing the moment, Tie Xue Leng clasped his hands together, activating Titanium Bind Gu. Chains of hardened metal shot forward, wrapping around the wolf's torso in an attempt to restrain it. However, the beast's lightning-infused body reacted instinctively—its fur discharged a surge of electricity, shattering the bindings into fragments.
A smirk crossed Tie Xue Leng's face. "As expected of a Myrid Beast King," he muttered, tightening his grip on his lance. He planted his feet firmly, readying himself for the decisive exchange.
The wolf, now fully enraged, howled to the heavens, its lightning surging wildly as it prepared for its strongest attack.
Tie Xue Leng took a deep breath. "Then let's finish this." He lunged forward, his metallic energy flaring around him, as man and beast clashed once more in a final, explosive showdown.
The wolf unleashed a devastating Lightning Devour Gu, gathering all the residual energy in the air to form a massive, crackling sphere of electricity. It roared as it sent the sphere hurtling toward Tie Xue Leng, the sheer force of the attack sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Tie Xue Leng, unfazed, activated Meteor Hammer Gu, his steel lance transforming into a massive metal hammer infused with his full power. With a mighty swing, he struck the incoming lightning sphere, dispersing its energy in a spectacular explosion of light and force.
Before the wolf could recover, Tie Xue Leng dashed forward with incredible speed, using Metal Burst Gu to propel himself like a cannonball. In the blink of an eye, he was within striking range. With all his strength, he brought his hammer down onto the wolf's skull, shattering bone and sending it crashing to the ground.
The beast twitched, its eyes flickering with dying embers of electricity before they dimmed completely. The Myrid Beast King was defeated.
Tie Xue Leng exhaled, his stance firm but controlled. The battlefield was silent as the Gu Yue elders and the Tie Clan members stared in awe. With the beast slain, the clan's immediate crisis was resolved.
As he was about to descend an unexpected visitor came to the mountain.