Chapter 19

At this moment, Wu Mian's attention was entirely on the body of the Witch Ancestor. After observing for a while, he said to Gui Bu Gui, "That Guang Xiao won't come back for a counterattack, will he?"

Gui Bu Gui grinned, looking at Wu Mian and said, "Do you think everyone is like you?" As soon as these words came out, he realized something was wrong and quickly took a few steps back to increase the distance between him and Wu Mian. He hurriedly explained, "You have that seed to back you up, which is why you have such a terrifying recovery ability. Guang Xiao's injuries will take at least half a day to heal. Healing the injuries is simple, but losing so much blood isn't something that can be replenished in a day or two. You saw it just now; the blood in his body is almost all gone. Blood is the essence of a cultivator. With the essence drained, how can he come back for a counterattack?"

After hearing Gui Bu Gui's words, Wu Mian suddenly stood up, startling Gui Bu Gui. He covered his face and retreated, saying, "Let's talk this out..."

Unlike what Gui Bu Gui expected, Wu Mian completely ignored him and walked directly past him towards the direction of the waterfall. Gui Bu Gui was taken aback and asked, "What are you doing?"

Wu Mian didn't turn back and slowly said, "I'm going to settle the score. My business isn't finished... When you come down, remember to bring those Ying Fish down. Give them a new home." By the time Wu Mian finished speaking, he had already turned into the forest and was out of sight. Only Gui Bu Gui was left, his face grim, staring blankly at the Ying Fish in the stone trough.

When this scene unfolded again, Lin Hu was speechless. He felt like he was the fish on the chopping block, waiting for the white-haired man to come and cut him up. However, to Lin Hu's surprise, Wu Mian seemed to have no interest in him. He first smiled at the man beside Lin Hu and said, "I recognize you. You were one of the people who chose the Witch Ancestor that night."

At this moment, the man beside Lin Hu's face stiffened. His shoulder injury was too severe, and he had only recently gained new strength, which he hadn't yet fully mastered. With just one hand, he had no confidence in dealing with Wu Mian.

After saying this, Wu Mian paused and turned his gaze to the body of the Witch Ancestor lying by the water. He sneered and continued, "I thought the succession of the Witch Ancestor would be more complicated, but it turns out to be so simple. In the time it takes to eat a meal, you fused in the water. Since you have inherited the soul and power of the Witch Ancestor, you will repay the debt he owes me."

As he spoke, a dagger appeared in Wu Mian's hand, the same one that the Witch Ancestor had used to stab his heart through Lin Hu's body. "Speak up, will you do it yourself, or should I do it for you?"

"Wait!" Before the new Witch Ancestor could speak, someone behind Wu Mian said, "This debt isn't settled that way. You haven't even calculated the interest yet." As the voice fell, the speaker had already walked to Wu Mian's side. This person looked incredibly old, and it was none other than Gui Bu Gui, who had been imprisoned on this mountain for over a hundred years.

Gui Bu Gui smiled at Wu Mian and said, "You can't settle this debt so simply. Even merchants have the principle of borrowing and paying interest. Just one for one is a bit too cheap, isn't it?" After saying this, the gazes of Wu Mian, Lin Hu, and the Witch Ancestor all turned to Gui Bu Gui, none of them understanding what he meant.

Wu Mian gave Gui Bu Gui a cold look and said, "Just say what you have to say. Don't hold back. Don't make me guess."

Gui Bu Gui smiled and said, "Since we're settling accounts, let's do it thoroughly." Without waiting for Wu Mian to respond, he immediately turned to the new Witch Ancestor and said, "You should have a piece of iron stone refined from a meteorite and the skull of the first Witch Ancestor. That old man has already attained sainthood, right?"

The new Witch Ancestor looked at the old man in surprise and said after a moment, "How do you know? These are treasures passed down through generations of Witch Ancestors. No outsider should know about them."

Gui Bu Gui laughed and said, "There's not much I don't know about this mountain. How about it? These two items aren't worth much, but they can serve as interest."

The new Witch Ancestor laughed bitterly and said, "So you mean to take my life and also take the treasures passed down through generations of Witch Ancestors as interest. Should I thank you for being so lenient?"

"Thank me after you hear me out," Gui Bu Gui laughed, glanced at Wu Mian, and then said to the new Witch Ancestor, "You know my little brother's temper. This grudge must be avenged, but in consideration of the interest, we can set the date a bit later. How about a hundred years from now?"

The Witch Ancestor hesitated for a moment and then shook his head, saying, "Then you might as well act now. You are both immortal. A hundred years or now makes no difference to you. Even if our clan has the power of succession, it can't match your immortality. By then, you will be even stronger, and we will still be like lambs waiting to be slaughtered. It might be better to bet on whether the two of us can die together..."

Gui Bu Gui, looking like a merchant, laughed and said, "Don't be so absolute. We can negotiate. A hundred years isn't enough, how about a thousand? A whole thousand years! Who knows what will happen by then? Maybe neither of us will exist. Immortality doesn't mean invincibility."

These words touched the heart of the new Witch Ancestor. He blinked continuously, and his breathing became heavy. Wu Mian's gaze also became heavy as it shifted from the new Witch Ancestor to Gui Bu Gui. If it weren't for wanting to know what the old man was up to, he would have already turned and sent an electric arc at Gui Bu Gui.

Just as the new Witch Ancestor was hesitating, Gui Bu Gui suddenly shouted, "Two thousand years! No negotiation!" This shout startled the new Witch Ancestor, who stared at the old man's face. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, "The iron stone is fine, but the skull of the first Witch Ancestor is out of the question."

Gui Bu Gui, who was expected to haggle, unexpectedly agreed immediately, "Deal. I never intended for you to give me that item. Bring the iron stone, and we'll meet again in two thousand years!"

The injured new Witch Ancestor was left as a hostage. He gave Lin Hu a few instructions. Taking this opportunity, Gui Bu Gui also approached Wu Mian and whispered a few words in his ear. After he finished, Wu Mian, with a blank expression, met the old man's gaze and then closed his eyes, refusing to look at him.

Half an hour later, Lin Hu emerged from behind the waterfall, holding a heavy lump of iron, which he threw in front of Wu Mian and Gui Bu Gui. Gui Bu Gui laughed and picked up the iron lump with one hand, while pulling Wu Mian away with the other. "See you in two thousand years!"

Watching the backs of the old and young men, Lin Hu said to the new Witch Ancestor in Miao language, "We don't need to fear him. Once the Witch Ancestor recovers, he will definitely not be a match for the Witch Ancestor. Not to mention a hundred years, it won't take more than half a year for the Witch Ancestor to recover. By then..."

Before Lin Hu could finish, the new Witch Ancestor waved his hand, stopping him from continuing. He turned to look at the body of the first Witch Ancestor lying by the water and murmured in Miao language, "Who did you anger?"

After leaving the sight of Lin Hu and the new Witch Ancestor, Wu Mian's cold face almost cracked with ice. An electric arc flashed around his body. Gui Bu Gui had been secretly watching Wu Mian's expression and, before the arc could hit him, he let go first. He then threw the iron stone and took several steps back, saying, "Just hear me out. If you're not satisfied, you can go back and kill him. After all, I said two thousand years, and you didn't agree to it..."

These last few words struck a chord with Wu Mian. The reason he was pulled out by Gui Bu Gui was that the old man had been doing all the talking. Wu Mian himself hadn't agreed to anything. If the old man's proposal was unsatisfactory, he could go back and kill the new Witch Ancestor while he was still injured. Once he recovered, it would be uncertain who would suffer.