On the third day, Bai clan leader called for Fang Yuan again and gifted him many primeval stones in the name of hunting.
During the banquet, apart from stealing glances at Bai Lian, Fang Yuan took the initiative to toast to Bai clan leader with a sincere and grateful expression.
Bai clan leader didn't speak but was inwardly very satisfied.
This night, Bai Lian visited Fang Yuan on her own accord. Her friend had been poisoned and clearing heat Gu would be very effective on it. However, clearing heat Gu was rare, thus she came to Fang Yuan to borrow it.
"Can't endure it anymore huh?" Fang Yuan sneered inwardly while lending the clearing heat Gu without any objection.
Bai Lian seemed to be very grateful for this.
Fang Yuan then took the initiative to enthusiastically chat with her; the two started becoming closer and their relation rapidly improved.
The fifth day, at the banquet.
Bai Clan leader suddenly asked: "Junior, is your Gu Yue clan thinking of settling down in Bai gu mountain?"
Fang Yuan immediately stood up, he tried to appear composed, but couldn't conceal the panic in his eyes: "Bai gu mountain lies close to Bai village, we could say it your esteemed clan's territory. How could we dare to encroach upon it?"
Bai Clan leader smiled inwardly, she became more certain that the Gu Yue clan's objective was Bai Gu mountain.
However, she hypocritically said: "Junior might not be fully aware of the complicated situation here. The pressure on our Bai clan is very big, it would be great if Gu Yue clan could stay here at Bai gu mountain as our clan's ally."
Fang Yuan promptly denied.
Bai Mo Xing also persuaded, Fang Yuan seemed to be moved but he did not yield.
After the banquet, Bai Lian also came over to indirectly talk about it; Fang Yuan expression became complicated, but he still didn't admit it.
"Hmph, this kid, his mouth is very tight." After the banquet, in the tent, Bai Mo Xing gritted his teeth and sighed.
"This is the demeanor of the young master of a clan, I am not surprised. We just have to raise the heat." Bai clan leader's gaze was pensive.
The next day, dawn.
Fang Yuan was still sleeping, when he was woken up by quarrelling noises from outside the tent.
He walked outside the tent to take a look, only to see Bai Zhan Lie aggressively pulling Bai Lian's hands.
"Bai Zhan Lie, I told you many times to stop bothering me. Love can't be forced!" Bai Lian swung off Bai Zhan Lie's hand and said with an icy expression, "I still have things to do, take your leave."
"Today's hunting competition is about to begin, what things do you have to do? Or are you going to look for that gigolo from Gu Yue village?" Bai Zhan Lie furiously roared.
"Say whatever you want! Young master Fang Zheng is very kind and even lent the clearing heat Gu when I asked for it. If it was not for his help, could Bai Sheng Jing recover so quickly?"
"Lian Er, can you not be so simple minded? Clearing heat Gu, haha, the way I see it he is just thinking to get intimate with you. Don't tell me you didn't sense his glances?" Bai Zhan Lie worriedly said.
Bai Lian glared: "Bai Zhan Lie, enough is enough! Ah, young master Fang Zheng…"
As the two quarreled, they saw Fang Yuan who was standing outside the tent.
Fang Yuan looked a little embarrassed and his gaze showed some worry as he said to Bai Lian: "So it was Lady Bai Lian. Please come in if you have something to say."
"You lad!" Bai Zhan Lie turned furious and seemed about to find trouble for Fang Yuan, but was stopped by Bai Lian half-way through.
"Bai Zhan Lie, what do you think you are doing? Are you crazy? This is our clan's esteemed guest!"
"What esteemed guest, he is no more than a stray dog." Bai Zhan Lie spat in contempt as he pointed at Fang Yuan, "Kid, if you have guts then let's have a real contest! The loser will have to stop bothering Lian Er."
"Hmph, I am only a rank one whereas you are a rank three and you have the nerve to say this. Could it be the grand Bai clan has no fairness?" Fang Yuan's expression turned ugly.
"In this world, there has never been fairness, there are only strong and weak. You are a coward if you don't dare to compete! So it turns out the Gu Yue clan produces cowards, hahaha...." Bai Zhan Lie threw his head back and laughed, the sound attracting many people.
"What's going on?" Bai Mo Xing hurried over at this moment.
Bai Lian explained everything to him, Bai Mo Xing immediately criticized Bai Zhan Lie: "Stop fooling around, you actually dared to be rude to the esteemed guest!"
Bai Zhan Lie raised his head: "He didn't dare to take up my challenge, he is not a warrior. Since he is not a warrior, why should I be courteous to him?"
"You!" Bai Mo Xing stared in fury.
Bai Lian said: "Anyone who accepts such challenge would be an idiot. Young master Fang Zheng's cultivation has fallen because of injuries. If he was at his peak state, you might not be his opponent."
A young lady was saying such things towards Fang Yuan, if Fang Zheng was really here, his heart would have been completely filled with appreciation.
Fang Yuan, however, sneered: Such a good performance!
"I will compete with you in place of young master Fang Zheng." Bai Lian continued.
Bai Zhan Lie gasped with rage: "Why are you sticking out for him, besides on what basis are you representing him? He is only a gigolo, a spineless coward, I alone can win ten of him! I won't compete with you. Kid, if you have guts then stand up. Not even saying anything, are you still a man?"
"If you want to compete, then let's compete, who is afraid of whom!" Fang Yuan seemed to have been spurred on by the remarks, as he straightened his neck and said in an impulsive manner.
"Lord elder, did you hear it? He agreed!" Bai Zhan Lie immediately shouted out with glee all over his face.
Bai Mo Xing furrowed his brows: "One should always be brave enough to receive challenges. Junior Fang Zheng, we all see your bravery, but you are our clan's esteemed guest, how will we explain to Gu Yue clan if there are any mishaps? And your cultivations are not at the same level, so the challenge loses its fairness."
"Lord elder is correct, junior was thoughtless…" Fang Yuan deliberately hesitated.
Seeing Fang Yuan seemingly about to withdraw, Bai Zhan Lie and Bai Lian quickly communicated with their gazes.
Bai Zhan Lie continued to speak, provoking Fang Yuan's anger and spurring him on.
Bai Lian bit her lips, before walking in front of Fang Yuan. She opened her watery big eyes and spoke softly: "Young master Fang Zheng, if I may be so bold to ask a favor."
"Oh, what request?"
"I really wish young master would accept this challenge and help me get rid of Bai Zhan Lie's persistence. I really can't endure his harassment." Bai Lian said with eyes filled with tears.
A young girl was imploring a boy like this, to drive away a nasty pursuer.
Especially if this boy also had good feelings about this young girl.
Tell me, which boy could refuse?
Thereupon, Fang Yuan immediately patted his chest and agreed: "Not to worry Lady Bai Lian, your affairs are my affairs, I will give it my all."
Fang Yuan paused before speaking with some hesitation, "It is just that my cultivation is weaker than his at the moment. Just in case I lost…."
"Please be at ease young master, I have a plan already." Bai Lian's smile was like the blooming of a daffodil.
She turned around and said to Bai Mo Xing: "Lord elder, young master Fang Zheng might have agreed to the contest, but if we really were to continue with the duel, we might injure our harmony and it also wouldn't be fair. I have a proposal; the hunting competition is ongoing currently, how about we take this chance to divide them into five person group and compete with the hunting accomplishments?"
"Yes, it is a good proposal." Bai Mo Xing felt his beard and slightly nodded, "Okay, you will choose your own teams. But to be fair, the cultivation level of your teams must be proportionate."
Bai Zhan Lie snorted in annoyance.
"Yes." Bai Lian promptly bowed in happiness.
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After an hour, the two sides set off.
On Fang Yuan's side, there were rank three Bai Ning Bing, Bai Lian and two other female Gu Masters with a similar age to Bai Lian, both all having rank two cultivation.
Among them was Bai Sheng Jing who was very grateful to Fang Yuan. She was the one who was poisoned and had been cured by Fang Yuan's clearing heat Gu.
The group was harmonious, and although Fang Yuan had the lowest cultivation, he was the core of the group.
"Young master, you don't need to worry, we have already gotten detailed information on the locations of the more precious preys. You only need to follow us." Bai Sheng Jing was responsible for scouting, and she was quite lively.
The group followed her, and sure enough, they were able to kill many unique prey.
Fang Yuan didn't have to exert himself and the whole thing felt like he was going on an excursion rather than hunting.
"Young master Fang Zheng, I heard others saying your Gu Yue clan is migrating to Bai Gu mountain, is that true?" Bai Sheng Jing seemed to have asked casually when they were returning from their rewarding hunt.
"Those talks are all baseless." Fang Yuan smiled.
"Young master, you are gentle and refined, an upright gentleman, much better than that Bai Zhan Lie. Sigh, if you could stay at Bai gu mountain then we could meet each other more often in future." Bai Sheng Jing continued.
Fang Yuan laughed and secretly glanced at Bai Lian who was walking alongside him.
Bai Lian seemed to be worried: "Settling down and establishing the village is not an easy thing. The most important condition is to find a spirit spring. However, the primeval energy around the spirit spring is very dense, so there will definitely be beasts pack or formidable wild Gu worms living near it.
To establish the village, the very first exploration group will have to go through intense battles, either killing beast packs or the wild Gu worms. This process will definitely be accompanied by bloodbath and sacrifices."
Upon saying so, she looked at Fang Yuan, "Actually, there are many bone Gu living in Bai Gu mountain. These bone Gu have tough physique and are difficult to deal with. There are also no soil in Bai Gu mountain, the ground is all made of bones and stones. It is not impossible to establish a village and survive on this mountain, but the price to pay is very high."
"Oh, is it so?" Fang Yuan's smile contained a trace of reluctance and his gaze seemed to revealed deep worry.
Then, he pretended to act nonchalant, asking: "I am quite interested in Bai Gu mountain. Bai Lian, your clan could be said to be half the owner, could you tell me what dangers are on this mountain?"
Bai Lian smiled: "Then please listen, young master."
She exaggeratedly spoke while secretly activating the Anxiety Accumulation Gu inside her aperture.
This Gu worked as quietly as the spring breeze and would silently influence everyone within ten steps of it. It aggravated people's thoughts and increased their worries.
Fang Yuan's smiling expression gradually faded and the worries in his eyes became more visible.
"Young master Fang Zheng doesn't need to worry, we will definitely win against Bai Zhan Lie this time." Bai Sheng Jing intentionally eased Fang Yuan's worries.
Fang Yuan nodded and after replying few sentences, he appeared absent-minded.
Following, he kept on asking many questions.
They were all about Bai Gu mountain, especially about certain areas in the back of the mountain.
Bai Lian patiently answered all his questions.
This scene was playing in real time in the camp.
"The fish has taken the bait." Bai clan leader showed a smug smile, "Back of the mountain…"
She started looking at the map on the table.