— — — — — — —
Fang Yuan sat motionless, his eyes closed, radiating an air of calm detachment, as if the world outside didn't exist.
Behind him, Bai Ning Bing paced back and forth, his chest churning with a storm of emotions—confusion, frustration, and an edge of fear.
He couldn't make sense of Fang Yuan's behavior. 'Sitting here doing nothing? Is he serious? He's going to lose everything if he keeps this up! This isn't like him at all!'
Finally, Bai Ning Bing's patience snapped. "Hey, Fang Yuan!" he called, breaking the oppressive silence.
"What?" Fang Yuan replied, his tone so calm it bordered on indifference.
"What are you waiting for? Time's running out! Why are you just sitting there, doing nothing?" Bai Ning Bing's voice carried an edge of anger, his frustration spilling over.
Fang Yuan's lips curved into a faint, mocking smile. His eyes stayed closed as he spoke. "Ning'er, calm down. Some things can't be rushed. With that temper of yours, you'll never get a husband—even with your good looks."
The comment hit hard. Bai Ning Bing's face darkened immediately. In his current female form, thanks to the Yin Yang Rotation Gu, the remark stung even more.
He gritted his teeth. "FANG YUAN! How dare you say that? I'm only stuck like this because you refuse to return the remaining Yang Gu!"
Fang Yuan lazily opened one eye, his expression teasing. "Oh, my bad, my bad. I promise I'll give it back after this is over. Relax, alright? Just wait until the time is right for refining."
He shifted slightly in his seat, making himself more comfortable, completely unfazed by Bai Ning Bing's outburst.
Bai Ning Bing snorted in irritation but held his tongue. Inside, his thoughts were far less settled. 'What is Fang Yuan up to? He took my control over the dogs and even my Gu. Does he suspect me? Could he know about my betrayal?'
He tried to dismiss the thought, shaking his head. 'No... if he really suspected me, he wouldn't have arranged for me to stay here, in the hall. He even let me be near him when he's going to be at his weakest during the refinement. He still trusts me. I just have to endure a little longer.'
His mind wandered to Tie Ruo Nan, and a faint sense of relief crept in. 'She must still be outside, stuck fighting the dog groups. Without control over them, she'll have to waste time breaking through.'
'Damn Fang Yuan—letting the land spirit take over the dogs! But it's fine. We've got a backup plan. Tie Bai Qi, a strong Rank 5 Gu Master, is already on the mountain. Fang Yuan, your luck's about to run out.'
As Bai Ning Bing's mind churned with schemes and doubts, Fang Yuan remained utterly unbothered. His calm, collected posture didn't falter. He knew exactly what he was doing.
The land spirit, on the other hand, grew restless. he hovered nearby, his ethereal form flickering with unease. "Fang Yuan, why are you delaying? Start the Gu refinement already! My mission is to refine the Gu. We must act quickly!"
But Fang Yuan didn't move. His faint smile remained, a subtle confidence radiating from him. "Patience," he said softly. "It's all about the right timing."
The land spirit's agitation deepened as Fang Yuan ignored his repeated urgings.
his tone grew sharper, but he didn't dare push too hard. Fang Yuan's rebirth identity carried weight, and he knew that, for now, Fang Yuan was his best—and perhaps only—option to refine the Gu. Reluctantly, he still chose to trust Fang Yuan.
— — —
At this time, the three pillars of light (red, blue, and yellow) representing the three inheritances were thin and weak, flickering faintly on the mountain peak.
Only the red light pillar, symbolizing the King Bao Inheritance, a Fire Path inheritance, was shining brightly at the moment.
Chou Jiu, not being a refinement master, couldn't pass the final round. He only managed to collect the Gu Fang Yuan needed and left. Recently, however, Feng Tian Yu, with Fang Yuan's help, obtained the remaining inheritance.
"I wonder who inherited King Quan's Enslavement Inheritance and King Xin's Refinement Inheritance!" someone speculated aloud.
"With only one left, our chances are incredibly low now…" another voice added, frustration evident.
"What about the two who claimed the other inheritances? Why haven't they come out yet?"
"They're still inside the blessed land," someone explained.
"The blessed land will collapse soon anyway. Once that happens, the door will open, and we'll be able to enter and exit freely."
"Look, it's Feng Tian Yu! It seems he was the one who got the Refinement Inheritance!" a person shouted, pointing at Feng Tian Yu.
"Makes sense. He's one of the best of his generation," someone else remarked.
"Another one is coming out… It's Lord Xiao Mang!" a voice cried out in recognition.
Xiao Mang, a Light Path Gu Master of the Southern Border, possessed Rank 5 Peak Stage cultivation. He was the pinnacle of mortal power and the very reason Fang Yuan was waiting.
Fang Yuan's patience was strategic. He had already decided to refine the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu and saw no point in refining the Immortal Gu the land spirit wanted now. That particular Gu wouldn't bring him the benefits he needed. Besides, the plot had already revealed the perfect path for him to follow.
With no changes in the timeline, this was the perfect opportunity to exploit the plot for maximum gain.
But why wait for Xiao Mang specifically? The answer lay in the recipe for the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu, which had two versions:
First way: Refine using Fairy Wind Gu, Seven Shining Stars Gu, and Fixed Star Gu.
This method was easier but currently impossible due to the lack of required materials.
Second way: Refine using Divine Travel Gu, Jade Sky Gu, Fixed Star Gu, and the Light of Glory of the Immemorial Era.
The Divine Travel Gu, an Immortal Gu, was in the possession of the land spirit and intended for refining the Second Aperture Immortal Gu.
Jade Sky Gu was already in Fang Yuan's hands.
The Fixed Star Gu had been planted in Bai Ning Bing's arm, part of a scheme Bai Ning Bing believed was working to his advantage.
Only the Light of Glory remained.
Unfortunately, obtaining the Light of Glory of the Immemorial Era was nearly impossible at this moment.
However, the Light of Glory could be replicated by activating three specific Gu to create a killer move: Gather Light Gu, Extreme Light Gu, and River Under the Sun Gu.
This was exactly what Xiao Mang was supposed to do. The greatest thing he would do in his life.
— — —
"Extreme Light Gu!"
"Heaven's Will Gu!"
"Empty Fist Gu!"
"Killer Move — Immemorial Light Fist!!"
Xiao Mang stood atop the mountain, his gaze sharp and unwavering. He activated his killer move.
Blinding rays of light gathered, forming a colossal fist the size of a hill. The radiant fist surged forward and slammed into the blessed land's barrier with devastating force.
BOOM!
The barrier shattered, leaving an enormous hole. The once-impenetrable blessed land now had a clear passage, allowing Gu Masters to enter without resistance. The ground trembled, and the air was thick with the aftermath of the attack.
The Land Spirit's voice echoed in Fang Yuan's mind, carrying a tone of shock and relief: "So this was your plan all along. That was dangerously close! If this had happened during the Gu refinement process, it could have spelled disaster."
"Perhaps even the complete loss of the chance to refine the Gu."
"You truly are a reborn Gu Immortal."
Fang Yuan responded with a calm mental transmission: "Ba Gui, you must understand. I am your future master. I am the best candidate for refining the Immortal Gu. No, I am the only one who can do it. I've done it before."
"The more you cooperate with me, the greater our chances of success. Now, let's begin the Gu refinement."
Without hesitation, Fang Yuan threw the False Second Aperture Immortal Gu into the cauldron. His mind raced with confidence and precision:
"Every piece is falling into place."
"All the materials are ready. Now, it's time to execute the plan."
"My time has truly come."
.
.
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