Chapter 96 Rank 5 Gu II

Qing Mao Mountain, Honglei Mountain.

Across the vast grasslands and surrounding hillsides, countless Lightning Wolves roamed as far as the eye could see. They looked similar to ordinary wolves, except their fur was a brilliant light blue. Whenever they ran, their fur fluttered in the wind like streaks of lightning, creating a strangely beautiful sight.

One of Gu Yue Village’s specialties was the wolf-hair brush, made using the brightest hairs from the tails of Lightning Wolves. A single brush required the tail hair of five or even ten wolves. Writing produced with these brushes was exceptionally beautiful, carrying a faint blue sheen that made them highly popular among merchant caravans. Outside Qing Mao Mountain, a single brush could sell for ten or even twenty primeval stones.

There were thousands of Lightning Wolves here, and their countless green eyes were enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine. Mixed among them were also many Hundred Beast Kings. Despite being surrounded by the pack, they were easy to distinguish from ordinary Lightning Wolves.

Each was roughly the size of a calf, with powerful bodies comparable to oxen. There were thirty or forty of them scattered throughout the pack. While ordinary Lightning Wolves frequently went hungry, these Hundred Beast Kings were strong and well-fed, their bodies at the peak of their condition.

Resources were always concentrated toward those standing at the top. The lower ranks were exploited and their interests sacrificed so that the upper ranks could enjoy the best resources first. Whatever remained would then be passed downward layer by layer, until only scraps reached the ordinary Lightning Wolves at the very bottom.

Beyond the Hundred Beast Kings were the Thousand Beast Kings, Frenzied Lightning Wolves. Each was as large as an elephant, with strands of golden fur mixed among their light-blue coats. Electricity constantly crackled across their bodies, a clear sign that several Thunder Path Gu were living within them.

Every Frenzied Lightning Wolf possessed at least four wild Gu, with at least one reaching Rank Three.

This was Honglei Mountain, one of the most dangerous forbidden areas within the entire Qing Mao Mountain Range. Whether it was the Gu Yue Clan, the overlord of Qing Mao Mountain, the Bai Clan with its recently emerged top-grade genius, or the Xiong Clan skilled in enslaving bears, none dared to casually enter this place. Because Honglei Mountain had another name.

The Lightning Wolf Den.

Three enormous Lightning Wolf packs, each numbering more than ten thousand, occupied the mountain. Each pack was led by a Myriad Beast King, the terrifying Thunder Crowned Wolf.

Yet the Lightning Wolves were only part of the danger. More than a dozen enormous swarms of Thunder Path insects also inhabited Honglei Mountain, their combined numbers approaching a hundred thousand. Countless wild Gu Worm lived throughout the mountain as well, making the dangers hidden within it almost impossible for ordinary Gu Masters to imagine.

Perhaps only a Rank Five Gu Master could enter such a place and still escape unharmed. Anyone weaker would either be devoured by the Lightning Wolf packs until only bones remained or blasted into charred remains by the enormous swarms of Thunder Path Gu worms.

Most of the Lightning Wolves were currently lying lazily across the grass. Some gnawed on the corpses of unknown beasts, while others mated without paying much attention to their surroundings. Suddenly, a streak of blood-red light descended from the sky and crashed heavily into the ground, crushing several unfortunate Lightning Wolves into meat paste upon impact.

“Awoo!”

“Awooooo!”

The nearby Lightning Wolves immediately rose and began howling, passing the warning throughout the pack. Even the Frenzied Lightning Wolves farther away turned their attention toward the disturbance. As the dust gradually settled, the enormous figure inside was finally revealed.

It was a gigantic python. Its head alone was as large as an elephant, while its enormous body was covered in crimson scales resembling layers of solid armor. Most striking of all were the crimson-gold bone spikes growing around its brows and eyes. From a distance, they resembled a small crown and gave the python an exceptionally domineering appearance.

Rank Five Blood Path Gu, Blood River Python!

The Blood River Python raised its enormous head and flicked out its blood-red tongue. Its purple eyes contained their usual brutality, but at this moment, there was also unmistakable pain within them. The Lightning Wolves hesitated, and some even instinctively backed away. Although they were wild beasts, they were not foolish and could clearly sense the powerful Rank Five aura coming from the Blood River Python.

Wolves were extremely territorial, but that did not mean they would blindly throw themselves at an enemy they could not defeat. Faced with such a powerful intruder, the pack found itself caught between defending its territory and preserving its lives. If they could speak, they would probably have shouted, You oversized snake, get out of our territory right now! Leave and we’ll pretend we never saw you!

Unfortunately, while the Lightning Wolves had no desire to provoke the Blood River Python, the suffering python had no intention of leaving them alone. It suddenly opened its enormous mouth and spat out a surging river of blood, sweeping across the grassland and sending Lightning Wolves flying. Those unfortunate enough to be caught directly within it began rapidly corroding, their flesh dissolving until their bodies collapsed into pools of blood.

The Blood River Python continued vomiting great quantities of blood, almost as though it were desperately trying to empty its stomach and expel something trapped inside. Yet no matter how much blood it spat out, nothing else emerged, only making its suffering worse.

As expected of a Rank Five Gu. Its will isn’t so easy to suppress. But there is a famous principle in the Gu world: no matter how strong a fortress is, breaking it from the inside is always easier. It seems I’ll have no choice but to play the Great Sage today.

Protected inside the Blood River Python, Lin Feng immediately intensified his methods. The refinement technique he was using belonged to Blood Path. He would first injure the Gu and weaken its resistance, then exploit the opportunity created while treating those injuries to slowly refine it.

The Blood River Python suddenly stiffened, its enormous body twisting violently as though struck by lightning, and even its eyes bulged outward. Seeing its reaction from within, Lin Feng frowned. Hmm? That’s strange. I clearly remember Feng Tianyu telling me that Gu doesn’t feel pain. The Blood River Python’s reaction was completely different from what he expected.

Meanwhile, back inside the mountain crevice, Fang Yuan obediently recounted everything that had happened, though naturally, his version contained a few carefully chosen embellishments.