Fang Yuan, you’re Catastrophe!

"I practiced basic martial arts diligently for seven consecutive days, only to be knocked out by Fang Yuan after exchanging just two moves. Shame, shame!" Gu Yue Mo Bei was filled with shame and anger.

In the courtyard of his home, he relentlessly attacked a wooden puppet, the blows echoing loudly.

At that moment, a soft laugh reached him. "Little brother, do you hold such a deep grudge against this wooden puppet? Why so furious?"

Upon hearing this familiar voice, Gu Yue Mo Bei's tense expression relaxed. He stopped his assault and turned around. "Sister, you're back!"

"Yeah, the clan assigned me a reconnaissance mission, been out for over ten days..." Gu Yue Mo Yan smiled in reply. She was Mo Bei's older sister and currently a mid-tier Rank 2 Gu Master.

However, her expression quickly turned severe, a glint of fierceness in her eyes. "Little brother, what's with the scars on your face? Who dared to bully you?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I tripped and fell, bumped my face..." Mo Bei's face flashed with panic, hastily making up an excuse. He didn't want his sister to know about his embarrassing situation. As the future heir of the Gu Yue Mo Clan, grandson of Gu Yue Mo Chen, he couldn't afford to be knocked out twice in a row.

Fortunately, he wasn't the only unlucky one; others were involved too.

"Oh, alright then. But you have to be careful. If you're training in martial arts, it's not enough. You need defensive Gu to protect your hands and feet, or wrap them with thick cloth to prevent injuries." Gu Yue Mo Yan advised briefly before leaving.

"Greetings, Miss."

"Good to see you, Miss."

"Welcome back, Miss. Your servants pay their respects."

Gu Yue Mo Yan's expression remained cool as she walked briskly. Every servant she encountered bowed respectfully.

Approaching the study, she didn't bother to announce herself, simply pushing the door open.

Inside the study, Gu Yue Mo Chen stood with his back to her, practicing calligraphy at his desk.

"You're back?" Gu Yue Mo Chen didn't turn around, instead asking directly, "You've been scouting for over half a month. How's the situation at the wolf's den?"

"Grandfather, how did you know it was me?" Mo Yan looked puzzled.

"Hmph, everyone in the family knows you're the one who takes advantage of my favor and skips the formalities. Who else could it be?" Gu Yue Mo Chen's tone carried reproach, but when he turned around, his expression softened, a hint of amusement in his eyes as he looked at Mo Yan.

Mo Yan rolled her eyes. "Speaking of favoritism, you actually favor my younger brother more. It's just that he's the future leader, so you're stricter with him. Others can't understand this favoritism."

Pausing for a moment, she continued, "Grandfather, how did my little brother end up getting beaten? I asked him, but he lied. I didn't press him, so I came to ask you."

Gu Yue Mo Chen's expression turned serious. "You haven't answered my question yet."

He set down his brush, pulled out a chair, and slowly sat down.

Mo Yan had no choice but to report, "The wolf den is almost full. Given their breeding rate, although there won't be a wolf tide this year, there will definitely be one next year, threatening our stronghold."

Gu Yue Mo Chen asked again, "How many Thunder Crowned Wolves are in that pack?"

"About three," Mo Yan replied.

Gu Yue Mo Chen nodded, relieved. Thunder Crowned Wolves were the leaders of wolf packs and the most troublesome during wolf tides.

Three Thunder Crowned Wolves weren't too many, considering there were three strongholds on Qing Mao Mountain. Each stronghold would handle one, alleviating the pressure during the wolf tide.

"Grandfather, you still haven't told me about my little brother," Mo Yan asked impatiently.

"I can tell you. Mo Bei was beaten twice. The first time was seven days ago, and today was the second time. He was knocked out cold both times, right at the academy gate." Gu Yue Mo Chen chuckled.

"Who dared to hit Mo Bei? He's your own grandson!" Mo Yan's eyes widened in disbelief.

"It was one of his classmates, Fang Yuan. Seems he's quite skilled..." Gu Yue Mo Chen chuckled again.

Mo Yan stared at him, even more puzzled. "Grandfather, what are you saying? Mo Bei is your grandson!"

In the dining hall of the inn, several tables were occupied, creating a lively atmosphere with people enjoying their meals.

Waiters moved gracefully between tables, delivering dishes on their trays.

Fang Yuan sat at a table near the window, having ordered several dishes. He ate quietly while occasionally gazing out through the window.

In the sky, the sunset glowed like fire, quietly burning.

The sun had already set halfway, its lingering light a reluctant farewell to the earth.

The distant mountains were shrouded in dusk. On the nearby streets, people were returning home: some barefooted farmers covered in dirt, herb gatherers carrying baskets, hunters with game like mountain chickens and wild boars, and several Gu Masters. They wore blue martial attire, looking sharp and capable with headbands and wide belts around their waists.

These belts were quite significant. A first-tier Gu Master would wear a blue belt adorned with copper plates featuring the character "一" (one). A second-tier Gu Master wore a red belt with an iron plate inscribed with the character "二" (two).

Observing from his seat by the window, Fang Yuan noticed about six first-tier Gu Masters among the twenty pedestrians on the street, mostly young. There was also one second-tier Gu Master, a middle-aged man.

As for third-tier Gu Masters, they typically served as clan elders. Fourth-tier Gu Masters held positions like clan leaders or chieftains.

Fifth-tier Gu Masters were exceedingly rare. In the history of the Gu Yue Clan, there had been only one clan leader and four chieftains who had reached this level.

"It's actually quite simple to assess a clan's strength. Just find a spot in the stronghold, carefully observe passersby for a couple of hours, count the first and second-tier Gu Masters, and you can gauge the clan's foundation and power," Fang Yuan reflected based on his five hundred years of experience.

For the Gu Yue Clan stronghold, among twenty pedestrians passing by, seeing six Gu Masters was quite telling. Among these six, there was a fifty percent chance of encountering a second-tier Gu Master.

Relying on such strength and foundation, the Gu Yue Clan occupied one of the best resource points on Qing Mao Mountain, asserting themselves as the rulers of the region.

However, Qing Mao Mountain was just a small corner in the vast Southern Border. The Gu Yue Clan was considered a middle-to-low-tier clan in the broader context of the Southern Border.

"I've only just begun my cultivation, barely reaching the initial stage of the first tier. I don't even qualify to venture alone in the Southern Border yet. I need at least third-tier strength to travel far," Fang Yuan sighed inwardly as he ate.

Qing Mao Mountain was too small to contain his ambitions. His destiny lay elsewhere.

"Haha, Gu Yue Fang Yuan, I finally found you." At that moment, a middle-aged man approached with a sinister smile.

"Hmm?" Fang Yuan turned slightly to see a man with a wax-yellow complexion and narrow brows, tall with well-developed muscles. He strode over confidently, arms crossed over his chest, looking down at Fang Yuan who was still seated, eating. A glint of coldness flickered in his long, narrow eyes.

"Fang Yuan, do you have any idea what trouble you're in? Hehehe, how dare you hit our young master from the Mo Family? Now Miss Mo Yan is looking everywhere for you to settle the score," the middle-aged man sneered repeatedly. His gaze scanned Fang Yuan up and down, emitting a palpable pressure.