The flames behind them burned through the night.
The survivors did not stop after breaking out of the zombie encirclement. No one dared to stop. Mu Bei Mountain was still behind them, and the zombies had only lost their controller, not their hunger. Some zombies followed for a while, some were blocked by the fire, and some stopped to eat the corpses left behind. The caravan remnant moved through the mountain path in disorder. The carts that remained were few, the guards were tired, and many servants were gone. Those who survived did not speak much.
The night wind carried the smell of smoke and corpse blood.
Fang Ming walked near Zhang Xin Ci's side. Xiao Die followed close behind her, while Zhang Zhu guarded the other side. Bai Ning Bing was also nearby. Her face was pale, and blood had already soaked through the cloth wrapped around her wound. Her eyes were cold enough to freeze water.
Many people looked at her, then looked at Fang Ming.
They all remembered clearly that Fang Ming had heavily injured Bai Yun, but now, he was protecting her. This was strange. But after what had happened tonight, no one dared ask directly.
Fang Ming suddenly stopped.
The surrounding Gu Masters also slowed down. He turned towards Bai Ning Bing and cupped his hands slightly.
"Lady Bai Yun, I owe you an apology."
Bai Ning Bing stared at him coldly.
Fang Ming continued calmly: "At that time, I only had one chance to find the zombie controller. If there was a traitor in the caravan, and that person sent word ahead, the controller could hide and never appear again."
His gaze swept across the survivors.
"If that happened, all of us would have died on Mu Bei Mountain."
No one spoke.
Fang Ming looked back at Bai Ning Bing. "You and Hei Tu joined the caravan as mortals. You hid your strength for a long time and acted suspiciously. I did not dare take the risk."
Bai Ning Bing's lips curled slightly.
She knew this explanation was nonsense. Fang Ming had attacked her to remove her from the game. He did not trust her, and he wanted to chase Fang Yuan without being watched. But what could she say? Tell everyone that Fang Ming was lying? Then how would she explain her own disguise? How would she explain Fang Yuan's actions? How would she explain why Fang Ming was able to find the zombie controller after attacking her?
The situation was already over.
Fang Ming had returned with the controller's corpse. That was enough proof for the others.
Bai Ning Bing swallowed the blood in her mouth and said coldly: "Then how will Young Master Fang compensate me?"
Fang Ming answered directly: "When I have money in the future, I will compensate you."
He paused, then added: "Right now, I am broke. My goods were destroyed too."
The surrounding survivors' expressions changed.
Goods.
Losses.
This one word struck their hearts harder than any explanation. Many of them had lost almost everything. Some had lost goods, some had lost servants, and some had lost clan members. The thought of compensation immediately made them remember their own empty carts and burned supplies. The strange matter between Fang Ming and Bai Yun was pushed aside for the moment. Everyone had their own losses to think about.
Bai Ning Bing looked at Fang Ming deeply. After a while, she asked: "Where is Hei Tu?"
Fang Ming's expression did not change.
"The last time I saw him, he was being chased by green-hair zombies."
Bai Ning Bing's gaze sharpened.
Fang Ming looked away and continued walking.
That was all he would say.
The group continued through the night. Only near dawn did they find a safer place to stop. No one truly slept. Some treated wounds, some counted survivors, and some stared blankly at the road behind them. The caravan was still alive, but only barely. Chen Shou remained the caravan leader, but this group could no longer be called a proper caravan. It was a broken remnant carrying what little it could still move.
Near sunrise, Fang Yuan returned.
His clothes were torn, his body was stained with blood, and several wounds could be seen across his arms and chest. Some were real. Some looked worse than they were. He came out from the forest with steady steps, but his breathing was heavier than usual.
Bai Ning Bing saw him first. Her eyes flashed, then quickly returned to coldness.
Fang Yuan looked at her wound, then looked at Fang Ming in the distance. His gaze paused for only a breath. Then he walked towards Zhang Xin Ci's side.
"Lady Zhang, you are safe."
Zhang Xin Ci looked at him with complicated eyes. "Young Master Hei Tu, you are injured."
"Green-hair zombies are troublesome." Fang Yuan said lightly. "I was lucky to escape."
Zhang Zhu stood beside Zhang Xin Ci and said nothing. His eyes were guarded. Fang Yuan did not explain much. He knew the situation had changed while he was gone. Bai Ning Bing was injured. Fang Ming had returned. The caravan had broken through. Most importantly, Ding Hao was dead.
That chess piece had been destroyed.
Fang Yuan's face remained calm, but deep in his eyes, the coldness grew heavier.
Fang Ming also looked at him.
Neither spoke.
The road after Mu Bei Mountain became quiet in another way. It was not peaceful, only numb. The caravan remnant crossed mountain after mountain. They avoided danger when they could, abandoned what they could not carry, and replenished supplies at remote hamlets when possible. No one wanted to take risks anymore.
They crossed Shuang Jiang Mountain, then Xue Lei Mountain, then more mountain roads whose names the survivors barely cared to remember. As they moved closer to Shang Liang Mountain, the road slowly widened. There were more travelers, more traces of people, and fewer wild beasts near the main paths.
The survivors finally began to breathe easier.
But the group was no longer the same.
Fang Yuan and Bai Ning Bing kept their distance. Bai Ning Bing's injury had improved, but not fully. Her hatred towards Fang Ming was no secret, though she did not act on it. Fang Yuan remained calm, as if the events on Mu Bei Mountain had only been another ordinary danger.
Zhang Xin Ci still treated them politely.
But she was wary.
She accepted their help when needed, yet her trust never fully settled on them. Her trust was different towards Fang Ming. After so many life-and-death dangers, Fang Ming had stood near her again and again. He had protected her from wolves, elephants, zombies, and chaos. He had also shown ruthlessness, but Zhang Xin Ci could not deny one thing.
When danger came, he was there.
Zhang Zhu was still alive. Xiao Die was still with her. But Fang Ming had become another pillar in her heart. Not the oldest, and not the purest, but strong, reliable, and near.
One day, the outline of Shang Liang Mountain finally appeared in the distance.
The mountain was vast and majestic. Roads spread towards it from many directions, and people flowed along those roads like streams returning to a river.
Shang clan city was near.
That evening, Fang Yuan came to say farewell.
Zhang Xin Ci was not surprised, but her expression still changed.
"Young Master Hei Tu is leaving?"
Fang Yuan nodded. "Bai Yun and I have our own matters. It is better for us to separate before entering Shang clan city."
Xiao Die frowned. "Why leave now, after coming all this way?"
Bai Ning Bing stood beside Fang Yuan, silent.
Fang Yuan smiled faintly. "The road has already reached a safe place. Lady Zhang no longer needs us."
Zhang Xin Ci looked at him for a long moment. She understood that this was not the full reason. But she did not ask.
"Then take care." she said softly.
Fang Yuan cupped his hands. "Lady Zhang, take care."
His gaze moved briefly to Fang Ming.
Fang Ming stood not far away, watching calmly.
Fang Yuan said nothing more. He turned and left with Bai Ning Bing, disappearing into the flow of travelers.
This time, Fang Ming did not stop them.
Fang Yuan had too many secrets. He would not enter Shang clan city with Zhang Xin Ci and risk investigation. Bai Ning Bing also could not remain beside Zhang Xin Ci under Shang clan eyes. Their separation was expected.
Fang Ming remained.
Zhang Xin Ci looked towards him. "Young Master Fang Ming, will you also leave?"
Fang Ming shook his head. "No. I will accompany you into Shang clan city."
Xiao Die's eyes brightened.
Zhang Xin Ci lowered her gaze slightly. "Then I will trouble you."
"It is no trouble." Fang Ming said.
His tone was calm, but his thoughts were different.
Shang clan city was both opportunity and danger. He did not intend to bind himself to Shang clan. He did not want to become their subordinate, nor did he want to be trapped by marriage or politics too early. A super clan's favor was useful, but a super clan's investigation was dangerous.
His secrets were too many.
His copy system. His hidden Gu. His knowledge of future events. Bone Flesh Unity Gu. Even his escape from Qing Mao Mountain could become suspicious if examined deeply.
He wanted benefits, not chains.
The best path was to remain friendly, keep Zhang Xin Ci close, and exchange benefits through her position once her identity changed.
Most importantly, he wanted to meet Shang Yan Fei.
Rank five Gu were rare. Complete Rank five Gu sets were even rarer. Many Rank five Gu were valuable even to immortals as pieces for killer moves. Ordinary Rank five Gu Masters might not have good sets, but Shang Yan Fei was different. He was the clan leader of Shang clan, one of the richest and strongest mortal powers in Southern Border.
If there was someone nearby with a powerful, complementary Rank five Gu set, it was him.
Fang Ming's gaze moved towards Shang Liang Mountain.
If he could copy even one suitable Rank five Gu from Shang Yan Fei, the journey would already be worth it.
Far away, deep within Shang clan city, a man sat cross-legged in darkness.
Scarlet flames burned silently around him, then slowly withdrew into his long crimson hair.
Shang Yan Fei opened his eyes.
His blood-colored pupils shone in the dark.
"A new bloodline…"
His gaze turned towards the distance.
"One that comes from me."