Chapter 8: Viscous Lightning Fiend

"You!" Firesmith Dragon Chief almost burst into flames when he saw Fang Yuan's mask curve into a smile. But he stopped himself when he felt something wrong with Fang Yuan's aura. Most people are devoid of dao marks, only having a small number in total. But Fang Yuan's body was like a lighthouse in the middle of a sea, bright and impossible to miss.

Mortals couldn't have this number of dao marks, only immortals could. This so called Beast King was actually an immortal...

And not only that, he was a genuinely accomplished man. After Fang Yuan's name had been spread from his success in the convention rounds, all the major sects began to dig up his old history. What they found was something out of legends, a mortal refining an immortal Gu with his bare body, struggling against all the major forces of Southern Border and winning, and perhaps the most impressive, stealing Hu Immortal blessed land right from under Central Continent's nose.

This man's accolades as a mortal were straight out of the Tale of Ren Zu. It was clear that Fang Yuan was an exceptional person. Far surpassing the likes of Firesmith Dragon Chief and everyone else in the Refinement Path Convention. Even as a grandmaster, Firesmith Dragon Chief didn't have the confidence to beat Fang Yuan. But he didn't need to. That wasn't his mission.

Thinking this, Firesmith Dragon Chief forgot his anger and extended an open hand to Fang Yuan with a smile. "I hope we can talk after the round. I come as a representative of Myriad Dragon Dock. I'm sure you'll be satisfied with our lucrative deal." He looked behind Fang Yuan at the stunned Immortal Crane Sect disciples. "I hope you remember that Myriad Dragon Dock is a much stronger sect than Immortal Crane Sect. Please consider my offer."

Fang smiled under his mask. "I was wondering when I was going to get an offer. Myriad Dragon Dock really is opportunistic lately. Are you already satisfied with the current ability I've shown? Are you sure you don't want to see what I'm truly capable of?"

Firesmith Dragon Chief's smile quickly turned sour. Originally the plan was for him to battle Fang Yuan in a refinement dual to see whether there was a platform to do business. If Firesmith Dragon Chief won Fang Yuan would be eliminated in the convention and nothing would happen. If Fang Yuan won then Firesmith Dragon Chief was to establish a friendly relationship with him as well as a contract concerning the Guts Gu business.

But that was based on the idea that Fang Yuan was a mortal and not a powerful Gu immortal. A wrench was immediately thrown into Firesmith Dragon Chief's plans. It was obvious to him that Fang Yuan was much more skilled simply based on his number of dao marks. Firesmith Dragon Chief had spent over a hundred years until he became an Immortal, being lucky enough to find a dual refinement path and fire path cultivation inheritance. Throughout all of his difficulties and tribulations, he became a Gu Immortal. But he knew he wasn't Fang Yuan's match.

The frail disguise the Beast King wore hid him from mortals but not immortals. The aura of immortal Gu on his body was clear as day. Unlike Fang Yuan, Firesmith Dragon Chief didn't have a single immortal Gu. But Fang Yuan had at least four. If they were to fight Firesmith Dragon Chief had no doubt that he would lose miserably. It was a mistake to think that Fang Yuan could be stopped in this Refinement Path Convention.

"I'm afraid I'm not your match Beast King. But please do contact me if you're interested. You know Immortal Crane Sect cannot keep your level of talent. A man your age having attainment beyond grandmaster..."

Firesmith Dragon Chief couldn't even think of any other examples of such talent in all of human history. Even the supreme grandmasters of refinement path, Long Hair Ancestor, Old Immortal Kong Jue, and Old Eccentric Tian Nan, didn't have such attainment when they were Fang Yuan's age. Fang Yuan's talent was ridiculous. Having such a person exist would either be a tragedy or a blessing.

Refinement path was different to all other paths. Refinement itself wasn't just a path of dao but a crucial part of all paths of cultivation. Every path involved refinement, whether it was advancing Gu, refining Gu or reverse refining Gu. All Gu masters and Gu immortals needed some level of refinement path attainment, but this was very difficult to achieve.

Because of refinement path's vast grasp on cultivation it was very complicated and difficult to learn and understand. Advancing attainment in refinement path was far harder than advancing attainment in any other path. This made many Gu masters and Gu immortals fail and give up on refinement path, further increasing the importance of refinement path attainment.

Refinement path attainment at the level of grandmaster could make an average Gu immortal into a highly valuable ally with the ability to help everyone around him. Firesmith Dragon Chief didn't know the limits of Fang Yuan's attainment, but it was certainly beyond grandmaster. And given his young age? That refinement path attainment would surely increase as Fang Yuan progressed in cultivation.

Talent like this either bloomed into a historical character or a tragic hero killed off due to their threatening potential. In Firesmith Dragon Chief's opinion, he would try to bring Fang Yuan to his side early, but...

Fang Yuan didn't bother entertaining Firesmith Dragon Chief's offer of joining Myriad Dragon Dock. Instead he sat right in front of the Immortal Crane Sect disciples while his giant fox snarled at the Myriad Dragon Dock disciples. He was completely relaxed, leaning against the beast's dark red hide with a pleased smile. His fingers gently parted through the fox's fur, brushing away all the snow and hail.

"I'm happy to hear that Myriad Dragon Dock is so eager to make a deal with me. Do you need an immortal Gu refined? I'm quite expensive you know~"

Firesmith Dragon Chief signed. "I have a list of requests that Myriad Dragon Dock has for you if you're willing to do them."

"And I don't need to join Myriad Dragon Dock to complete these requests?"

"Hah, no. But you do need to confirm that you have a refinement path immortal Gu and you have to agree to a restrictive information path killer move."

Fang Yuan nodded. "Easy enough. What are the requests?"

"The first is to help research a new immortal lightning path Gu. And the second is another request from the same person, to help refine that new hypothetical Gu into an actual immortal Gu. He may be someone you're familiar with?"

Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow. It looked like the very first divergence from the timeline had appeared.

"Viscous Lightning Fiend has already perfected his killer move?" Fang Yuan felt a strange sense of nostalgia. Him and Viscous Lightning Fiend had a long history that revived itself in every timeline, very similar to Feng Jin Huang. And now this man was asking for his help to refine an immortal Gu...

Firesmith Dragon Chief smiled when he saw Fang Yuan's complicated expression. It seemed that he was more connected to Myriad Dragon Dock then anyone actually knew. Viscous Lightning Fiend was a veteran of the sect and was difficult to contact. Only a person deeply involved with him would know such personal information like a trump card killer move.

"Yes. Viscous Lightning Fiend specifically asked for your help. He seems to think that you can somehow invent a new unique lightning path immortal Gu that has some elements of enslavement path. Can you do it?"

"Hmm, I'd need some time to come up with a few ideas. How long of a period do you need to refine the immortal Gu?"

Firesmith Dragon Chief's confidence quickly crumbled. "Uh, he said he needs the immortal Gu in two months at the latest. But he's offering a refinement path immortal Gu in exchange for the lightning path's recipe and the actual lightning path Gu itself!"

Fang Yuan shook his head. "I need more than that. Go talk to Viscous Lightning Fiend and tell him that I want the refinement path immortal Gu immediately and at least a couple thousand immortal escense stones."

Firesmith Dragon Chief choked at the price but understood why it was necessary. The time crunch to research an entirely new immortal Gu recipe and refine it was insane. To make up for so much time any refinement path Gu immortal would need to make huge purchases to make shortcuts. Only with enough incentive would anyone dare to take on this request. If Viscous Lightning Fiend wasn't willing to cough up the money than no one would help him.

"Then the next time I'll see you will be with Viscous Lightning Fiend. Thank you for your time Fang Yuan. I hope to see you again shortly, but please prepare for the request. I think Viscous Lightning Fiend is deadset on getting the best possible Gu."

Firesmith Dragon Chief handed Fang Yuan a special information Gu and jumped into the sky, abandoning his fellow Myriad Dragon Dock disciples to go back to Myriad Dragon Dock.

Fang Yuan didn't leave, preferring to stay still petting his large fox.

"Uh, elder Fang Yuan." One of the younger members of Immortal Crane Sect nervously approached him. "You aren't actually thinking of joining Myriad Dragon Dock right?"

Fang Yuan suddenly looked up and saw both of the dumbfounded disciple groups quietly whispering to one another.

"Oh right. I almost forget you guys were here. Just ignore what you heard, it really doesn't concern Immortal Crane Sect."