Previously, Li Hua had captured the mutated beast One-Cloud Phoenix when it was merely a small creature with barely any combat strength. The bird grew beside Li Hua for several years, becoming close to her and treating her as its mother. After Li Hua's death, it never left the place where she had died. Instead, it continued hunting around the perimeter of Mount Yan Zu while guarding her corpse.
Now that Fang Tian had arrived, the bird awakened and discovered someone whose aura resembled that of its former master. It felt no hostility toward this intruder—rather, it felt a deep sense of familiarity and goodwill. This bird could be considered one of Li Hua's precautions against those who did not possess the Boundless Forest Samsara physique yet somehow reached the inheritance.
One could easily imagine what would have happened if Fang Tian did not possess the Boundless Forest Samsara physique.
Naturally, Fang Tian had no idea that he had narrowly escaped death by a miracle. He simply continued stroking the white phoenix's head.
"Good bird… good bird. I imagine your speed must be incredible—and judging by the aura you give off, your strength as well. Very well, old fellow. We have someone to kill in order to fulfill the request of a dead person."
Mutated beasts possessed high intelligence, and mutated beast kings were even more intelligent. Somehow, they could understand human gestures and intent. Thus Fang Tian was not surprised when the phoenix lowered its head toward him, inviting him to climb onto its back.
Fang Tian leapt onto the enormous phoenix's back.
The bird immediately released a cry that shook the entire mountain.
Inside the residence of the former Yan Zu clan leader, the Yin clan leader was currently discussing strategies with the other clan elders of Rank Three and Rank Four on how to deal with the Yan Zu clan, who had been hiding within the mountain and waging guerrilla warfare against them.
Suddenly, the entire building trembled as a terrifying cry echoed from deep within the mountain—directly beneath the place where they were gathered.
"Is this an earthquake?! The whole mountain is shaking!"
"Those damned Yan Zu people must have done something to the mountain's roots!"
"Li Bing, that bastard, already showed terrifying strength—and with that strange hawk that possesses Rank Four battle strength, they could definitely cause something like this!"
The Rank Three elders shouted loudly, causing the Yin clan leader to frown.
Two Rank Four elders were present with him. Even if Yan Zu Li Bing attacked, he would only be courting death.
Yet at that moment, a savage aura rose from the foot of the mountain and pressed heavily upon him.
"Damn it! What beast dares challenge my Yin clan?!"
The Rank Five Yin clan leader shot into the sky, smashing through the roof of the building and creating a loud sonic boom.
Floating in midair, he activated an investigative Gu and looked toward the distant foot of the mountain.
"This—! A mutated beast king with Rank Five battle strength. But the Gu Master riding it is only Rank Four… how could he control such a powerful beast? …Is he some hidden expert emerging from seclusion, hoping to gain fame by stepping on my Yin clan's head?! You must be dreaming!"
The Yin clan leader roared in anger and transformed into a streak of light, rushing toward the One-Cloud Phoenix at astonishing speed.
Fang Tian laughed when he saw the Yin clan leader charging toward him. Excitement and tension surged through his body.
He jumped from the phoenix's back and retreated, avoiding the imminent collision.
The white phoenix released another piercing cry and transformed into a cloud before crashing directly into the streak of light.
Mount Gu Xian trembled violently.
A shockwave spread across the entire mountain, and every living creature upon it felt the terror of the unleashed power.
The streak of light was blasted backward for an entire kilometer, while the One-Cloud Phoenix retreated only a few meters before beating its wings challengingly.
A kilometer away, the Yin clan leader gritted his teeth and surged forward again, his streak of light twisting through multiple directions.
He immediately activated one of his trump cards—a Rank Five Gu worm.
"Striking Light Gu!"
The faint sunlight of the setting sun suddenly intensified. The entire world turned white as a pillar of light descended toward the One-Cloud Phoenix.
From a distance, Fang Tian watched the battle with admiration.
When he saw his opportunity, he moved without hesitation.
Killer Move — One Powerful Arm!
A phantom of a gigantic human arm appeared above the Yin clan leader.
The Yin clan leader had poured all his focus into the phoenix, completely ignoring Fang Tian, whom he regarded as nothing more than an ordinary Rank Four Gu Master.
This allowed Fang Tian to seize the moment of weakness.
The Power Path arm descended with terrifying momentum, pushing the air aside as its palm slammed into the Yin clan leader's body.
The Yin clan leader was sent flying through the air and smashed into the mountain's waist like a ragdoll.
Fang Tian laughed madly as he rushed forward at incredible speed, descending upon the mountainside and raining punches down upon the old Yin clan leader's defenses.
Phantoms of Power Path beasts emerged behind him one after another—Dragon.boar.hwak.Snake.Horse.Crocodile.
Under Fang Tian's fists, the Yin clan leader's body was reduced to a bloody paste. Each strike sent tremors through the mountain as Fang Tian literally carved the corpse into the mountainside.
"Clan Leader!!"
The elders cried out in shock as they stared at their clan leader's mangled remains.
Just minutes ago he had been calmly discussing strategy with them—yet now the situation had been completely overturned.
Fang Tian flicked the blood from his fists and turned his gaze toward the Yin clan Gu Masters.
To the Yin clan elders, those brown pupils looked terrifyingly cold.
Fang Tian pointed toward them.
Massive orchid chains burst from beneath the ground, binding all the Yin clan Gu Masters.
Grey vines of unnatural size followed, tearing them apart one by one without resistance.
Even the Rank Four elders died after barely thirty seconds of struggle.
How could the pitiful Rank Two and Rank Three Gu Masters resist Fang Tian—someone who possessed Rank Five battle strength?
"That was refreshing… wiping out a third of the Yin clan is decent work. Ah—but I certainly caused quite a disturbance. The Gu Masters from the super clans will surely come investigate this matter."
Fang Tian shrugged lightly.
"But that no longer concerns me. I have already given Li Hua enough face by helping her clan."
A weak cry sounded from the sky.
It came from the One-Cloud Phoenix, which had suffered moderate to minor injuries from the Yin clan leader.
But such wounds would heal quickly—after all, a mutated beast king possessed extremely powerful vitality.
The phoenix landed beside Fang Tian and slightly lowered its head for him.
Fang Tian laughed and activated Healing Willow Gu.
The injuries on the phoenix's body vanished instantly, and it regained its full strength, letting out a joyful cry.
Fang Tian chuckled as he patted the cloud phoenix's head and looked over the devastation he had created on Mount Gu Xian.
Most of Yan Zu Village had already been reduced to ruins due to Fang Tian's brutal slaughter of the Yin clan members. The arrowwood forests had been shattered, and a massive wildfire spread because of the Yin clan leader's attacks.
"Rank Five Gu Masters truly are natural disasters… and Gu Immortals surpass such disasters by an enormous margin."
Fang Tian gazed at the destruction thoughtfully.
"That is the goal I should pursue. Rank Five? These people are merely monkeys acting powerful. Only by becoming a Gu Immortal do you truly gain the right to act according to your own will… But Rank Six is still far away for now. Extremely difficult."
He sighed while looking up at the sky, which had now turned dark, stars glittering above.
After a while, Fang Tian mounted the One-Cloud Phoenix once more and guided it toward Mount Tie Li
returning to the Ancient Strength Blessed Land.