A Runnin' with The Huang Jin Bloodline

⸻⸻⸻⸻( Northern Plains: Shark Wolf Den )⸻⸻⸻⸻

Amidst an ink-black lake, five gu masters had gathered, waiting as the tension slowly grew. Gradually, the lifeless bodies of shark wolves began surfacing, their muscles twitching involuntarily as they succumbed to paralysis.

From the abyss of the lake emerged a beast emperor, its massive frame alone was often enough to scare off its enemies. It roared in frustration, ready to confront those who dared disturb its slumber. Yet, as it surveyed the scene, it realized that not a single one of its attackers had a trace of rank-5 aura among them, and only two of them even had rank-4 aura.

The beast emperor observed as one of the gu masters charged toward it, prompting a raised eyebrow. Before then unleashing a highly pressurized torrent of water, aimed directly for the oncoming attacker.

Wearing a smile, Hit Man, slammed his fist into the high-pressure water spout, causing it to veer off course. "Man these strength path Gu are really something!" he exclaimed, marveling at their effectiveness.

Sand Man, however, had his head downcast. "That's only because they have an amplified effect on you. Life is truly unfair," he remarked with a hint of dissatisfaction. Each member of their team possessed Gu that worked like strands woven in a basket, like they were made for them—Gas Man with poison path Gu, Gun Man with metal path Gu, and Hit Man with strength path Gu. As for Zi Ran, regardless of the Gu he employed, his results remained the same. A mere snap of his fingers would bring a beast crashing to the ground lifeless.

Sitting comfortably upon a reclined slung-back chair, Zi Ran with only one of his eyes narrowly open detected the presence of a life form thousands of meters above them.

Thousands of kilometers above, a rank-6 gu immortal from the Ye Lui Tribe and of the Huang Jin Bloodline observed the scene. His slender figure and prominent features, including large, soft eyebrows and yellow eyes that mirrored the purity of his ancestral bloodline, defined his presence. Adorning his head was a lustrous golden mane, complemented by a shimmering golden cape draped across his shoulders.

Initially, en route to vent his frustrations at being deceived by a counterfeit recipe in the Treasure Yellow Heaven—his frustrations usually ending in the destruction of a large area, that may or may not sometimes include a mortal village or two—when he stumbled upon five gu masters engaging a shark wolf den. Intrigued by the strange methods used by the gu masters below, he descended to observe them more closely.

"Greetings," he announced, bringing with him an aura filled with a dense pressure, fully embodying the strength befitting one of the Huang Jin Bloodline.

Engrossed in their battle, Hit Man remained too preoccupied to look up, though he heard the greeting.

Covering his ears, Gun Man exclaimed in exasperation, "What the ****! Why are you shouting so loud? Can't you see that we're busy?"

Ye Lui Xiao Jin, momentarily taken aback by the gu masters' insolence, almost offered an apology before swiftly correcting himself. "How dare you address one of your grand elders in such a manner?" he retorted, his voice tinged with disbelief, before pausing as he perceived something peculiar—he was unable to discern their lineage. "To which tribe do you belong?"

"America, Bi***!" Gun Man retorted, completely unamused by the gu immortal's ability to fly. Zi Ran voiced no objection to Gun Man's disrespectful conduct, well aware of the likelihood of their visitor belonging to the rumored ascended class.

"D... Did you just refer to me as a female dog?" Xiao Jin exclaimed, dumbfounded by the insult. Rather than feeling offended, he found himself more perplexed by these inconsequential ants—so feeble that a mere wave of his hand could obliterate them—had actually dared to taunt him. With a shake of his head, he chuckled briefly before preparing one of his weaker killer moves. Naturally, the insult could not be overlooked; he wasn't slaying them out of anger or frustration, but rather to avoid becoming a laughingstock should others learn that gu masters had insulted him.

However, just as he was about to execute his killer move, he felt his heart burst. "What?" he uttered in bewilderment as his vision gradually dimmed, before activating many of his healing path Gu, mending his heart. "Who dares attack a member of the Ye Lui Tribe?" he bellowed, attempting to compose himself, pondering, "No forewarning, no aura leaked, and not a single Gu mark left behind. That means I am dealing with a rank-8 gu immortal."

Zi Ran raised an eyebrow, impressed by the gu immortal's ability to instantly restore such a vital organ. "Remarkable, truly remarkable," he remarked as he clapped his hands together, bringing the gu immortal's attention back to him.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin lowered his gaze to meet Zi Ran's, his mind racing. "Is he claiming responsibility for that attack? That would mean he's the hidden immortal. If so, it would also explain their unique and powerful methods relative to their ranks and the nonchalance they exhibited in my presence." Realizing the gravity of the situation, Xiao Jin promptly bowed "Junior extends his apologies for disrupting your teaching!"

Zi Ran contemplated attacking him once more, except this time his target would be the brain, but as the tension dissipated, he waved his hand dismissively.

"Thank you, senior! Junior will not forget this act of kindness," Ye Lui Xiao Jin expressed his appreciation before hastily taking to the skies, racing back with utmost haste. "I must inform the Supreme Grand Elder of this!"