Ray sat down in the tavern, a smile was on his face as he sat at his table.
He had entered here a few minutes after Fang Yuan had in order to not draw suspicion, something unfortunate was that even now he did not get a chance to use the Gu
The plan was to use it when Fang Yuan left the tavern
The only problem was that Fang Yuan was very thorough in his acts
He came here into the tavern 2 hours ago now, and had drunk an entire 2 jars of wine and currently had a third in his hand
The reason for this was because he was not trying to draw suspicion when he leaves and wanders around and to ensure that no one would follow
'Old demon...' Ray thought
He truly did look like a pitiable young boy who had his heart crushed by the revelation of his low aptitude
Ray himself had not bought any wine, rather he bought a single meal and ate it slowly, the deer meat had long since grown cold but he continued to eat
A little while after
Fang Yuan finally got up.
He stumbled his steps and slurred his words as he walked out holding the jar of wine in his hand which swayed as he walked
Ray smiled and waited for 3 minutes
Then, he left too
Currently, it was night time and there was no sound other than the crickets and birds
The darkness of Qing Mao Mountain was almost eerie
With his enhanced senses Ray was able to hear much better as others, he could hear Fang Yuan's steps as well as he walked as well as the sound of the wine sloshing in the jar
Not only that but the fragrance of the wine was extremely strong
'I understand how the liquor worm smelt it...'
Yuxuan was following behind a decent distance, his heart was cold and calm – his steps even more so.
Right now they were a safe distance from the other villagers, and Ray could definitely attack and suppress Fang Yuan easily, the strength and speed of the sovereign immortal aperture was not something a mortal could withstand, especially a mortal who didn't even have any Gu.
Well, he did, but Fang Yuan didn't know that yet.
'I have to be careful.'
Ray thought, his eyes locked on the back of Fang Yuan's head.
'If I move at full speed, I'll crack the ground beneath me. The elders will feel the tremors.'
That was the reason he didn't strike with his overwhelming power yet – he would need to use mortal strength, for the most part
Deciding to make his presence known, Ray stepped out from behind the green bamboo and walked up, making sure his steps were heard.
He made himself appear drunk, his steps were wobbly.
Fang Yuan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly – of course it did.
To the rest of the village, Yuxuan was the orphan boy who now had an A-grade aptitude - an extremely lucky individual. Fang Yuan was from the future – to Fang Yuan, Yuxuan was supposed to be one of the people who did not awaken an aperture.
"It's a fine night for a stroll, Fang Yuan – you drank so much already, can I have the wine in your hand?"
Fang Yuan's movement stalled for a second as he turned around.
Looking into his eyes, Ray was glad that he had the advantages that he did – he was glad that Fang Yuan would become his eternally loyal brother.
'This bastard's eyes...'
Ray stared into those abyss-like eyes and shivered
' He knows.'
[It does seem that Fang Yuan knows you are not drunk and that you have been following him.]
"I know you are not drunk."
His voice was smooth, as if he felt the situation was within his control.
"Why are you following me?"
[Fang Yuan is probing, he is attempting to determine if his memories are unclear and he forgot you or if you are an immortal too that regressed – it is best to strike now.]
'Fuck.'
"I'm not looking for trouble,"
Ray said, closing the distance by a few steps.
Fang Yuan's body shifted slowly, and Ray didn't even need the system to tell him.
[Fang Yuan wants to dispose of the master.]
Ray lunged.
Even suppressed, his movement was a blur.
Fang Yuan's combat instincts—honed by five centuries of slaughter—screamed a warning. He dropped low, attempting a sweeping kick to trip Ray, but it was like hitting a pillar of iron.
Ray grabbed Fang Yuan by the throat, slamming him against the damp earth. He had to consciously hold back his strength to keep from crushing Fang Yuan's ribcage instantly. He pinned Fang Yuan's wrists with his left hand and pressed his right palm flat against Fang Yuan's chest.
'Use the Gu!'
He said and inside him there was something that seemed to begin
Well, it could also be said that nothing was happening
After all
The Gu Eternal Brotherhood was going to alter everything in the entire Gu world
"One."
Fang Yuan didn't waste breath shouting. He twisted his body with serpentine agility, trying to bite Yuxuan's wrist, then hooked his leg around Ray's neck to pull him off balance.
"Two... Three..."
Ray felt the incredible technical skill of the old demon. Fang Yuan was using every leverage point, every trick of mortal wrestling, to break the contact. But hisbody, forged by the Sovereign Immortal body , was an immovable mountain.
He took a sharp elbow to the jaw and didn't move an inch.
"Four... Five..."
"What... are you... doing?"
Fang Yuan hissed, his voice strained as he realized his physical strength was utterly useless. He looked up into Yuxuan's eyes and saw a terrifying certainty there—the look of a man who knew his secrets.
"Six... Seven..."[1]
"Eight... Nine..."
Fang Yuan's pupils dilated.
A primal dread, something his five-hundred-year-old soul hadn't felt in centuries, gripped him. He brought his head up and smashed it into Ray, but it did nothing other than cause a red bump on his forehead
"Ten!"
The entire world seemed to still
The effect of the Gu flowed from Yuxuan into Fang Yuan, and it flowed even further – it branded Fang Yuan's soul, his will, his very existence.
Through time – past, future and present
His goals had not changed, nor had his personality or cunning, but there was something above both of those things
Ray let go of Fang Yuan and sat on the ground.
The greatest threat of this world that could have affected him – the pawn of the venerable that became a king himself
Gu Yue Fang Yuan was no longer a danger.
[1] -_- It was unintentional