The Old Version P3

Ch 23: Defying Heaven

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"Land spirit, during the days I'm gone, follow my instructions," Fang Yuan said in a low, steady voice.

Little Hu Immortal, her eyes brimming with reluctance, responded softly, "Master, I will be waiting for you here. Please return quickly."

Fang Yuan glanced around the blessed land one final time, his mind calculating the time left until the next calamity. "10 months until the next calamity strikes... with the fivefold time flow in the blessed land, that's only two months outside." He sighed, knowing the risk involved. "I hope it will go smoothly."

Turning his attention to his next step, Fang Yuan began preparing to use the killer move: Defying Heaven-Dark Travel.

This was no ordinary move. Defying Heaven-Dark Travel was a Rank 6 Immortal killer move, with the core being the powerful rank 6 Fixed Immortal Travel Gu. Its primary function? To transport the user to any location without emitting any trace—a priceless advantage when stealth and secrecy were required.

After activation, the move enveloped the Immortal Gu first in a dark, mud-like substance that sealed its aura completely. The black mud hardened into stone, encasing the Gu and preventing even the slightest ripple of immortal energy from leaking out. the Gu turning into a black stone sealing the immortal gu.

While the user would be surrounded by black light and then transferred away.

However, the move came at a huge price. Dark Travel required the sacrifice of Lifespan Gu worms each time it was activated.

Lifespan Gu were rare and precious, highly sought after by Gu Masters and Gu Immortals alike. Formed naturally in areas abundant with life, they were one-time use Heaven Path Guthat couldn't be refined. Their rarity made them even more valuable than most Immortal Gu, and many would trade almost anything to obtain them.

But this wasn't the only problem with Dark Travel. The move took time to prepare, and the immense pressure it would on Fang Yuan made it unsuitable for combat. Once activated, there was a three-second delay before the user could actually travel—an eternity in the heat of battle.

Yet, there was a significant benefit that made this move invaluable. Dark Travel could store enough green grape immortal essence beads for three uses, allowing Fang Yuan a mortal to activate the move multiple times before needing to recharge. However, each time the killer move was triggered, the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu would be unsealed, and its immortal aura would inevitably leak, alerting others to its presence.

Weighing the costs and benefits in his mind, Fang Yuan's expression was calm. This move was vital to his plans in the Northern Plains, where stealth would be his greatest ally.

"Success." Fang Yuan smiled, watching as a black light began to swirl around him. The dark, mud-like substance completely enveloped the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu, sealing it entirely.

Then, after three seconds, Fang Yuan vanished without a trace.

...

Northern Plains.

Under the dark night sky, the stars were sparse, and a cold wind blew across the vast land. The moon, bright and sharp, illuminated the crescent-shaped lake, casting its pale glow on the water. The lake itself was massive, spanning 7,500 kilometers in length and 2,500 kilometers in width. The ends of the lake curved into sharp points, while the middle was wide, mimicking the shape of a crescent moon.

Fang Yuan quickly surveyed his surroundings. "I should have arrived at Crescent Lake," he murmured to himself.

"The 500 years memories are so useful."

Crescent Lake, while filled with danger, had specific zones where one could land safely. Fortunately, this was one.

Around the lake lurked many fierce creatures—a large pack of Water Wolves, a herd of Three-Horned Rhinos, a thousand-strong group of Mutated Beasts, and a swarm of gu worms that numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Each of these beasts and wild gu worms had staked out territories around the lake, and as long as their domains weren't invaded, they would not attack.

"The original Fang Yuan avoided this place because of the immortal aura that would leak from the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu. But thanks to the new killer move created by the A.I. Chip, I can travel without detection," Fang Yuan thought, pleased with his progress. The fact that his clothes remained intact after the travel also made his mood better.

"I'm in the eastern side now," he mused, scanning his surroundings cautiously. "According to the memories, I should head this way... but first..." Fang Yuan's gaze shifted to the dark stone in his hand. Within this stone was the sealed Fixed Immortal Travel Gu.

Carefully, he put the stone inside his robe. Even though the Immortal Gu was sealed, it couldn't be placed inside a mortal's aperture. Even in its sealed state, was not something he could take lightly. Carrying it physically was the only option, though it made him cautious of what could be encountered.

...

Fang Yuan began walking along the lakeside, moving toward a stone forest at the far east of Crescent Lake. This forest, like many others around the lake, was composed of stone pillars. Some were grey, others purplish-black, and some were greenish-yellow. Each stood at an exact distance from the other, creating a strange, orderly formation.

However, this particular stone forest was special. From above, the grey-white pillars formed a shape—a vague but unmistakable 'thief' symbol. This stone forest wasn't natural; it was created by Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable himself.

"Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable was the first to invest in me, but even now, his reason remains unknown," Fang Yuan muttered, staring at the thief sign, thinking of the person who was the only otherworldly venerable.

He then moved through the stone forest, his eyes scanning the pillars with purpose.

Suddenly, his gaze fixed on a purple stone pillar. His eyes brightened, and he stepped toward it.

Drawing a dagger, Fang Yuan sliced his palm, letting his fresh blood drip onto the purple pillar. As he smeared the blood over its surface, he uttered the words, "I want."

This was the first step in activating the mysterious Gu worm that Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable had hidden here. Blood was the first requirement, but the second requirement was even simpler—one had to express desire, hence the words, "I want."

The moment Fang Yuan spoke, his body vanished. In an instant, his surroundings changed, and when he regained his senses, he found himself inside a room.

The room was filled with the scent of an alchemy furnace. It was richly decorated with dragon pillars, golden curtains, crane lanterns, and vermillion windows. In the center stood an old man, his appearance sagely. He was thin with white hair, a beard that reached his chest, and a face ruddy like a baby's. He wore a wide robe with sleeves that fluttered in the air, and his expression was one of surprise at Fang Yuan's sudden appearance.

"This should be Lang Ya Land Spirit in the form of 1st obsession." Fang Yuan thought as he observed the old man for a moment.

He then spoke confidently, "Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's inheritor has come to pay respects."

The land spirit stared at him for a while, its gaze analyzing him closely. After a tense silence, the old man finally asked, "What is the secret code?"

Fang Yuan, with a playful smirk, replied, "The secret code you created with the Demon Venerable back then? Hmm… there is no secret code."

The land spirit's expression twisted into a sinister grin. "Hehe, you dare to tease me? Then I shall kill you here and now!"

Fang Yuan, however, remained calm and composed. "No, you cannot harm me," he said, full of confidence. "I am the Demon Venerable's inheritor. You cannot touch me before the agreement of the three Gu is completed."

...

After some time...

Lang Ya land spirit sat at the edge of the bed, his previous imposing presence now completely gone. He brewed tea for Fang Yuan with a smile, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.

"So, you really are Thieving Heaven's inheritor. How incredible!" His voice, once grand and authoritative, now carried a tone of admiration.

"Handsome young lad, is the tea not to your liking? Do you want more?" The land spirit beamed, trying to please him.

This is the legendary Lang Ya land spirit?

The powerful, mysterious image of the land spirit had shattered completely in just a few moments.

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Ch 24: Lang Ya Land Spirit

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Flashback - 5 Minutes Earlier

The land spirit stared at Fang Yuan for a while, its gaze analyzing him closely. After a tense silence, the old man finally asked, "What is the secret code?"

Fang Yuan, with a playful smirk, replied, "The secret code you created with the Demon Venerable back then? Hmm… there is no secret code."

The land spirit's expression twisted into a sinister grin. "Hehe, you dare to tease me? Then I shall kill you here and now!"

Fang Yuan, however, remained calm and composed. "No, you cannot harm me," he said with confidence. "I am the Demon Venerable's inheritor. You cannot touch me before the agreement of the three Gu is completed."

Fang Yuan then smiled. "Now, take a look at this." He showed the land spirit some Gu recipes he had carefully prepared over the last five months. Of course, it was only an introduction—just a tiny part of the real recipes.

The land spirit looked at them closely and was first shocked, then excited, though a hesitant expression lingered on his face.

"How do you want to exchange these recipes?" the land spirit asked, trying to hide his eagerness. "I will trade a similar grade Gu worm for it, or you can choose a comparable Gu recipe."

Fang Yuan shrugged. "Who said I wanted to exchange them? I just wanted to see how knowledgeable the spirit of Long Hair Ancestor really is." Fang Yuan's eyes glinted with playfulness. "It seems he's not as impressive as I thought. You don't even know about such simple Gu."

"You!" The land spirit's beard bristled with rage, his eyes widening, as if flames were about to shoot from them. He looked ready to kill Fang Yuan on the spot.

But Fang Yuan remained unfazed.

After a long stare, the land spirit suddenly deflated, like a balloon leaking air. He scowled miserably, climbed off the bed of clouds, and walked toward Fang Yuan, softly pleading as he pulled on his sleeves. "Young lad, please, be kind. Just exchange the recipe with me, won't you?"

Fang Yuan was speechless, thinking, "Even though I knew this would happen, seeing it in person is something else. The mighty land spirit, reduced to this... no shame at all."

...

"Handsome young lad, is the tea not to your liking? Are you not happy? For the sake of this tea, please exchange those recipes with me." The land spirit put on a forced smile, desperately trying to win Fang Yuan over.

Fang Yuan silently drank his tea.

If it were anyone else, the land spirit would have extorted or threatened them by now. But Fang Yuan was the inheritor of a Demon Venerable. The land spirit couldn't use force, so he could only resort to begging, shamelessly.

"Young lad, have mercy on this old man! I live here all alone, so lonely, so bored, so hungry, so thirsty. My only joy is looking at these Gu recipes to pass the time. Would you be so heartless as to reject such a pitiful request?"

The land spirit had the appearance of a kindly old grandpa, with white hair, beard, and eyebrows, and he stared at Fang Yuan with a pleading gaze.

"I'm afraid I've got something sad to tell you, but you're not a human, you're a land spirit," Fang Yuan replied, his eyes twitching in annoyance. Even knowing this would happen, experiencing it is something else entirely, he thought.

"You can say whatever you like, but as long as you give me the recipe, you can do anything you want with me!" The 'grandpa' winked shamelessly at Fang Yuan.

At that moment, Fang Yuan wished he were a Venerable, just so he could beat this damn land spirit.

The land spirit's body trembled, and he began to sob, rolling around on the floor like a child. "I want to exchange! I want that recipe and this one too! Young lad, you are too cruel, too heartless. Why won't you just give me these recipes? Will it kill you to do a good deed? Please, just exchange with me!"

"Young lad, what's wrong with your conscience? You are too cruel! As expected of the inheritor of a Demon Venerable..." The land spirit was mourning loudly.

Fang Yuan sighed, calming himself down. This thing is just a creep land spirit, he reminded himself.

"Alright, I'll trade with you," Fang Yuan finally said, feigning reluctance. "But remember, I'm doing you a favor."

He acted as if he had suffered a great loss just by agreeing. "Sigh… Bring me a brush and paper."

With the memories spanning 500 years into the future he had, Fang Yuan possessed a vast collection of Gu recipes—some ahead of their time by an entire era. Of course, the land spirit had never seen them.

Fang Yuan wrote down two recipes and handed them over. The land spirit, standing nearby, scratched his ears in anticipation, his eyes shining with excitement. He confirmed that the recipes were entirely new to him, having never seen them before.

"I want Connecting Heaven Gu and Divine Sense Gu in exchange for these two recipes."

"Here, here." The land spirit waved his hand, and two Gu worms materialized on the table.

After receiving them, Fang Yuan refined the Gu and placed them into his aperture.

"Continue! I want the other recipes, especially this Stargate Gu," the land spirit said eagerly.

"Stargate Gu, huh?" Fang Yuan mused. "It's interesting. It allows one to cross the five regions by tapping into Black Heaven's power. It's a rare Gu worm, could be compared to Hole Earth Gu and Connecting Heaven Gu.

"Did you create these recipes?" the land spirit asked in awe.

"Of course!" Fang Yuan replied confidently. "I created many Gu and completed countless half-finished recipes, even immortal ones."

"Little friend, you have a remarkable talent for refinement path. I'm truly amazed!" The land spirit, now calling him 'little friend' instead of 'young lad', was clearly impressed.

"For Stargate Gu, I'll only trade it for Small Family Qi Gu and Human Qi Increase Gu," Fang Yuan said in a calm, measured tone.

"What?!" The land spirit was furious. "Those are ancient Qi path Gu that are nearly extinct! You want both for just one recipe?"

"I'm not forcing you to exchange," Fang Yuan said with a shrug. "But you know how useful Stargate Gu is, and besides, I've already done you a favor by exchanging with you in the first place."

The land spirit hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, to repay your favor, I'll trade them."

(Author's Thought: A pair of black and white foxes who are masters of deception, capable of pretending exceptionally well.)

Two Gu worms appeared in the land spirit's hands, and Fang Yuan swiftly took them. In return, he handed over the Stargate Gu recipe he had written.

Fang Yuan was pleased. These two Gu were crucial for his plans.

Small Family Qi Gu allowed a Gu Master to absorb heaven and earth qi, indirectly controlling them to reduce the force of heavenly tribulation and earthly calamity. Human Qi Increase Gu, on the other hand, would boost human qi but at the cost of significantly intensifying tribulations.

After some time, the land spirit asked again, "What do you want for the other recipes?"

Fang Yuan remained silent, deep in thought, before finally replying, "Let's leave them for now."

"I want you to refine my first Immortal Gu."

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Ch 25: Second Immortal Gu

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"Little friend, you are Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's inheritor. You have three opportunities to ask me to refine Gu. However, whether it succeeds or fails, refining an Immortal Gu will count as one chance. If you request mortal Gu, I can guarantee success and will refine it for you without fail," the land spirit proposed earnestly. "I suggest you start with mortal Gu so you don't waste your three chances."

Fang Yuan smiled calmly. "I've already made up my mind. I want to refine an Immortal Gu."

The Lang Ya Land Spirit looked disappointed but responded, "Alright, which Immortal Gu do you want to refine?"

"Second Aperture Gu," Fang Yuan declared.

Second Aperture Gu was a Heaven Path gu which allowed gu masters to cultivate two apertures at the same time.

Hearing this, the land spirit smiled. "I don't have the main refinement material for that Gu. And do you even have the recipe?"

Fang Yuan's expression turned slightly anxious. "I do have the recipe for this Immortal Gu, but the agreement states that the materials are your responsibility, correct?"

The land spirit's smile widened. "Yes, you're right. I'll search for Divine Travel Gu in Treasure Yellow Heaven until I can purchase it. But you know how hard it is to acquire an Immortal Gu," he said, offering another suggestion. "How about refining a mortal Gu for now?"

Fang Yuan suddenly grinned. "Oh, how convenient. I know exactly where the Divine Travel Gu is. Hahaha!"

The land spirit's face froze in shock. "W-What? You know where it is?"

Fang Yuan nodded. "Yes, just give me a few days. I need to prepare and go exchange for it. But remember, Land Spirit, the cost of the material is on you, right?"

The land spirit was stunned by how fast things were moving. "Y-Yes, that was part of the agreement."

Fang Yuan's grin grew even wider. "Then please arrange a room for me. I'll be staying here for a few days to prepare a few things."

Still in shock, the land spirit sent Fang Yuan to a room, but his mind remained numb from the unexpected turn of events.

After some time, the Lang Ya Land Spirit realized he had been tricked and became furious. "He has the recipe, so he must have known the main material from the start. As expected from a Demon Venerable's inheritor!"

...

At the room provided by the Lang Ya Land Spirit, Fang Yuan sat calmly, organizing his thoughts and refining his plans with the help of the A.I. Chip.

"Everything went smoothly," Fang Yuan thought, his expression calm. "From the killer move to dealing with the land spirit."

He paused for a moment, a glint of calculation in his eyes. "my big plan is progressing well. Now, it's time for the next step: refining some Gu."

Without delay, Fang Yuan took out his materials and the various Gu worms he had prepared. With the huge knowledge already stored in his mind and the assistance of the A.I. Chip, he began refining immediately.

Meanwhile, Lang Ya Land Spirit couldn't help but spy on Fang Yuan, observing the process closely. As the land spirit watched, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"How can he be this good? This... this is a mortal? He's refining these Gu so easily!"

The land spirit's shock deepened with each passing moment. "He even stops just before something goes wrong, as if he can foresee the future! Is this... is this how a mere mortal can refine Gu?"

What Lang Ya Land Spirit didn't realize was that Fang Yuan's ability to avoid mistakes came from the A.I. Chip's continuous simulations and analysis. The simulations allowed Fang Yuan to navigate the refinement process with almost unnatural precision, making it seem as if he could indeed predict the future.

Five days passed.

Fang Yuan had already refined a large number of Gu from various paths—sword path, thunder path, fire path, and even dark path. Throughout this time, the land spirit continued watching, utterly shocked at how smooth Fang Yuan's refinements were.

"This level of accuracy... not a single accident... how is this possible? Even I can't achieve this level of control!" the land spirit muttered to himself. "And it's not luck either... it's him. It's Fang Yuan!"

After another four days, Fang Yuan finished his refinements. He looked at the newly refined Gu in front of him with satisfaction.

"I've prepared enough now. Time to get some rest and then go meet with Lang Ya Land Spirit."

With that, Fang Yuan calmly packed away his materials, his mind already calculating his next move.

...

The next day, Fang Yuan approached Lang Ya Land Spirit with a calm expression. "I'm ready, Land Spirit."

"Oh, little friend, you're going to retrieve the Immortal Gu already?" Lang Ya Land Spirit's tone was unusually friendly.

This was precisely why Fang Yuan had chosen to refine Gu under Lang Ya Land Spirit's watchful eyes. His goal wasn't just to demonstrate his exceptional ability in refining but, more importantly, his mastery of wisdom path, which gave the illusion that he could predict the future and make flawless calculations. This subtle display of power was aimed at earning the land spirit's trust, especially when it came to the semi-immortal recipes in his possession.

Of course, the wealth Fang Yuan would gain from this was substantial. But his true objective was securing a specific semi-immortal recipe that would play a critical role in his larger plan.

"No need to go anywhere," Fang Yuan said, shaking his head lightly. "We can begin the refinement right here."

Lang Ya Land Spirit looked confused, about to speak, when Fang Yuan retrieved a Rank 5 Gu from his aperture—Moving Perspective Cup Gu.

Moving Perspective Cup Gu was a unique storage-type Gu. It allowed for the storage and transportation of "things" across the Space Cave, using its body to swap items between itself and its counterpart. Distance didn't matter between the two cups. By harnessing the mystical forbidden passage of the Space Cave, it bypassed the Regional Walls of the five regions, making it incredibly valuable for Fang Yuan's purposes.

With a simple command, Fang Yuan activated the Gu and sent out a Letter Gu. Moments later, the Divine Travel Immortal Gu, along with another Letter Gu, was transmitted back to him.

Fang Yuan opened the letter, reading the report from Little Hu about how she missed him in the 34 hours since his absence. Smiling slightly, he remembered the difference in time flow—Lang Ya Blessed Land flowed 36 times faster than normal, while Hu Blessed Land had a time flow five times faster than normal.

To Fang Yuan, the 10 days he had spent refining Gu here had only translated to more than 6 hours outside and a little over 34 hours in Hu Blessed Land.

Satisfied that everything was in order with Hu Blessed Land, Fang Yuan turned to Lang Ya Land Spirit and said, "We can begin refining Second Aperture Gu now, right?"

The land spirit, still somewhat bewildered by how quickly everything was progressing, nodded. "Ah, yes."

Fang Yuan's smile grew wider. "Then let's begin."

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Ch 26: Never Enough Benefits

...

Lang Ya Land Spirit's gaze lingered on the Moving Perspective Cup Gu in Fang Yuan's hand. "You even know about this Gu…"

Fang Yuan smirked. "After all, I am Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's inheritor."

Lang Ya Land Spirit nodded, acknowledging the truth. "It must have come from his inheritance."

Without wasting time, Fang Yuan sent Connecting Heaven Gu and Divine Sense Gu with the Moving Perspective Cup Gu and an instruction letter, to Little Hu's land spirit. Once done, he examined the damaged Moving Perspective Cup Gu—it was only a Rank 5 mortal Gu, and using a Rank 6 Divine Travel Immortal Gu had placed too much strain on it.

Over the past few days, Fang Yuan had spent his time re-refining the Moving Perspective Cup Gu. Though it had returned to Rank 5, it was still only a mortal Gu. Fang Yuan knew that, like all mortal Gu, it had its limits.

After sending out a few mortal Gu, the Moving Perspective Cup Gu had finally reached its breaking point. With its energy exhausted, the Gu's fragile form began to crack. Fang Yuan inspected it one last time, understanding that it was now beyond repair.

"It's destroyed," Fang Yuan thought calmly. There was no hint of frustration in his expression. "I won't need it anymore anyway"

"I want to oversee the Gu refinement personally," Fang Yuan said, looking at the land spirit exuding confidence. "I'll give you warnings if anything goes wrong to ensure the success of refining Second Aperture Gu."

"What?!" Lang Ya Land Spirit's fury was palpable. His eyes flared with indignation as he glared at Fang Yuan. "You, giving me pointers in Gu refinement? Do you even know who I am? Hmph!"

Fang Yuan only smiled calmly. "Didn't you witness my skills during the earlier refinements? My abilities speak for themselves. Besides, the agreement clearly states that I'm allowed to observe the entire refinement process."

Lang Ya Land Spirit begrudgingly remembered the long-standing deal made with Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable. Long Hair Ancestor had once failed to refine an important Immortal Gu, Escape space Gu for the Demon Venerable, and in return for the failure, had agreed to refine nine Gu worms, be they mortal or immortal, at no cost. Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable had used six of those chances already, and the remaining three were sealed in his inheritance for a fated person to claim.

Finally, after a long pause, Lang Ya Land Spirit grumbled, "Very well, that was part of the agreement. And I can't deny your wisdom path attainment is indeed quite high for a mortal."

With a wave of his hand, Lang Ya Land Spirit teleported them to an enormous hall.

The room was vast, at least 5 Km in diameter, filled with various Gu refinement tools: green copper cauldrons, red steel furnaces, rainbow water tanks, and even cave houses.

"This is my Earth-grade Room C, the Gu refinement hall," Lang Ya Land Spirit introduced.

With another wave, thousands of hairy men appeared, all teleported in with stunned expressions. However, upon seeing Lang Ya Land Spirit, they immediately knelt, shouting, "The hairy men greet Lang Ya Old Immortal!"

The land spirit's face softened with affection. "Children, you may rise."

He handed out the materials for the Gu refinement. "Today, we're refining an Immortal Gu. Use the recipe I provided."

The hairy men were experts at Gu refinement, and despite their initial excitement, they quickly regained their composure and diligently started the process. They handed over their half-finished products to the elder hairy men for inspection, refining and improving as needed.

Lang Ya Land Spirit, satisfied after multiple trials, finally created the half-done version of Second Aperture Gu. It was of far higher quality than the false Second Aperture Gu Fang Yuan already had.

At this moment, Lang Ya Land Spirit glanced at Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan grinned. "You owe me a Rank 6 Immortal Gu."

Lang Ya Land Spirit frowned. "No, Divine Travel Gu has issues and isn't worth that much."

Fang Yuan smirked. "The agreement says you must bear the cost. But how about this: for now, you owe me the price of Divine Travel Gu."

With a resigned expression, Lang Ya Land Spirit agreed. "…Fine."

Muttering curses under his breath, Lang Ya Land Spirit teleported over more Gu worms and rare materials, precious items meant to increase the success rate of Gu refinement.

"A.I. Chip, simulate and alert me if anything goes wrong," Fang Yuan mentally commanded, as he activated Clear Mind Gu, restoring clarity and sharpness to his thoughts.

He took out four top-quality wines he had prepared earlier and began drinking them as the refinement process began. Divine Travel Gu transformed into flowing light, mixing with the other materials. The light expanded and contracted rhythmically, the entire process gradually reaching a critical juncture.

Fang Yuan observed closely, taking another gulp of wine. "The Immortal Gu hasn't disappeared yet… I'll continue."

After some time, the lump of light shrank and stabilized, forming the Second Aperture Gu.

As the moment of success arrived, Fang Yuan's body suddenly shook. Inside him, refinement began on its own. Dao marks formed, and in an instant, another Gu emerged—Divine Travel Gu!

Fang Yuan stood up, completely sober, laughing heartily.

Lang Ya Land Spirit glared at him with gritted teeth. "You humans are all devious and scheming! I should've known, especially with you being a wisdom path master."

"Kid, I'll remember this!" Lang Ya Land Spirit growled as he handed the Second Aperture Gu to Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan paid no mind to the land spirit's anger. He simply admired the two Immortal Gu in his possession: Second Aperture Gu and Divine Travel Gu.

He smiled coldly, eyes gleaming with ambition. "But these benefits still aren't enough."

Lang Ya Land Spirit squirmed under Fang Yuan's gaze as he stared at him warmly, plotting his next move.

...

Lang Ya Land Spirit felt uneasy under Fang Yuan's intense gaze. "You already have the Immortal Gu, why not leave now if you don't want to use your other two chances?" The land spirit was eager to see him go.

But Fang Yuan merely smiled and pulled out Divine Travel Gu, waving it teasingly in front of Lang Ya Land Spirit. "You don't want this Immortal Gu?"

Lang Ya Land Spirit's eyebrows shot up. "What, are you planning to sell it?"

Fang Yuan smirked, still holding the Divine Travel Gu. "Of course. But I also have something else." He revealed a semi-finished Second Aperture Gu that he had personally refined.

The land spirit's eyes widened with a mixture of joy and greed. With both the Divine Travel Gu and this semi-finished product, he could complete the rare Second Aperture Gu. The temptation was hard to resist.

"What do you want for them?" The land spirit asked, trying to hide his eagerness.

Fang Yuan's smile grew wider. "Just like before, you'll owe me the price of this Divine Travel Gu. And if you have anything of little value to you but great value to me, you'll sell it to me at a friendly price."

The land spirit relaxed, his posture becoming haughty. "Fine, we'll do it like that. And what about the semi-finished Second Aperture Gu?"

"I've poured all my mental and physical effort into creating this," Fang Yuan replied with a faux look of heartbreak. "I'll sell it to you cheap, just because we're such good friends."

The land spirit's expression twisted, but he couldn't resist asking: "And what do you want in return?"

"I want all the Gu recipes you have for a certain path," Fang Yuan said, his voice calm but his eyes gleaming with ambition. "And in exchange, I'll give you the recipes I showed you when I first came here."

Lang Ya land spirit smiled, "Hehe, do you think you can deceive me again? I won't give you any immortal recipes or my refinement path recipes."

Fang Yuan replied, "No need to worry, I want your recipes for the Path of___"

The land spirit hesitated. "Even though that seems like a high price for them…"

"Lang Ya Land Spirit, you're expanding your collection, and this Second Aperture Gu has already saved you plenty of resources," Fang Yuan smoothly reasoned.

After a moment, the land spirit sighed and handed over a massive set of Gu recipes. "Fine. These are the recipes from rank one to rank five for the path you wanted."

Fang Yuan beamed. "Such an important transaction!"

"Now get out," the land spirit grumbled, impatient to be rid of him.

But Fang Yuan's smile remained. "No hurry. I still have one more transaction I think you'll be very interested in."

"Oh?" The land spirit's curiosity was piqued. "And what might that be?"

Fang Yuan's voice lowered conspiratorially. "Information. Specifically, the time when I will use the Second Aperture Gu."

The land spirit's face twisted with anger. "You're despicable! Have you no shame?!"

Fang Yuan laughed heartily. "Do you want it or not?"

The land spirit glared. "How do you want to sell it?"

Fang Yuan's eyes gleamed with sharpness. "An exchange of information. I want to know everything about the Eighty-Eight True Yang Building in the Imperial Court blessed land."

The land spirit's expression shifted from shock to suspicion. "How do you know about that?!"

Fang Yuan's smile widened. "I've deduced many things about Giant Sun Immortal Venerable."

The land spirit couldn't help but sigh. "You've deduced this much already... Fine, let's exchange."

He summoned a rank four East Window Gu, a ladybug-like Gu with a square-shaped carapace designed to store information. "This is the information you asked for. Now it's your turn."

Fang Yuan grinned. "I'll send you the news before I use the Second Aperture Gu."

The land spirit's eyes narrowed. "How do I know you won't delay or cheat me again? I can destroy this East Window Gu with just a thought."

Fang Yuan feigned frustration. "You don't trust me?"

"Of course not!" The land spirit sneered. "You're the inheritor of Demon Venerable, after all. You're crafty and a master schemer. If you leave here, how could I chase you down if you extort me again?"

"Then what do you propose?" Fang Yuan asked impatiently.

"Simple. Use the Second Aperture Gu here and now. Then I'll be at ease," the land spirit said smugly.

Fang Yuan made a show of reluctance. "But I'm only a rank five Gu Master. I don't have immortal essence to use it…"

"Hand it over. I'll activate it for you!"

Seeing no way out, Fang Yuan sadly handed the Gu over. The land spirit infused it with immortal essence and tossed it back to him.

The Second Aperture Gu transformed into a bean-sized green light and burrowed into Fang Yuan's body. His whole body shook violently as the green light moved toward his navel before being rejected. It hopped to the center of his chest and exploded, forming a new aperture that appeared both real and ethereal.

Fang Yuan smiled. "Second aperture, complete. I'll take my leave now."

Only after Fang Yuan had left did the land spirit exhale in relief. "That brat... I have to be more careful with him in the future. Fortunately, I was cautious today and made him use second aperture Gu on the spot, otherwise I might have been blackmailed by him again!"

The land spirit stroked his beard and chuckled. "Wait… something doesn't feel right…"

He froze, realization dawning on him. "I wasted my immortal essence to activate that Gu!"

"Damn that schemer!"

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Ch 27: Return again

...

After exiting Lang Ya blessed land, Fang Yuan chose a random direction and traveled for a few hours. He made sure there were no prying eyes around, then prepared to use his killer move, Defying Heaven – Dark Travel. After activating the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu, the black stone broke apart, releasing a powerful immortal aura.

Fang Yuan initiated the move, sacrificing a lifespan Gu. Within three seconds, black light enveloped him, and he vanished.

Moments later, Fang Yuan reappeared in Hu Immortal blessed land. "I'm back," he said calmly.

"Master, I missed you very much!" Little Hu appeared, looking overjoyed, and rushed to hug Fang Yuan's arm.

"How is everything going?" Fang Yuan smiled, gently patting the land spirit on her head.

"Master, I gathered the information you requested from Treasure Yellow Heaven" Little Hu replied, clearly enjoying her master patting her head.

...

Fang Yuan began making purchases from Treasure Yellow Heaven. His first priority was buying hairy men. He needed to refine a vast amount of Gu, including tens of thousands of rank one Gu. He simply didn't have the time to refine all of them by himself.

Next, he bought a large quantity of refining materials.

Lastly, he purchased several wolf groups: Vermillion Flame Wolves, Turtleback Wolves, Wind Wolves, Water Wolves, Thunder Wolves, and Night Wolves.

The structure of beast groups was quite simple. They were classified into ordinary beasts, hundred beast kings, thousand beast kings, and myriad beast kings. Above myriad beast kings were beast emperors. A rank five wild Gu resided in the body of a beast emperor, granting them the battle strength of a rank five Gu Master, with the ability to control myriad beast kings.

As Fang Yuan used his divine sense, continuously browsing for more, he stumbled upon a seller offering a Dark Wolf Emperor and over eighteen thousand Night Wolves. He placed a bid and successfully won, adding this powerful group to his collection.

Fang Yuan was preparing to re-enter the world as Chang Shan Yin after dealing with his next calamity. This identity was his second choice in case the first part of his plan failed.

However, just as he continued buying, he noticed something odd—someone was deliberately trying to interfere with his purchases. Every item he wanted was either being snapped up quickly or the prices were being driven up unreasonably. Some sellers even suddenly refused to sell at all.

Fang Yuan squinted, his gaze sharp as a needle. "Someone is intentionally making trouble for me. Hmph, it must be that Yan Shi!"

"Hahaha," Fang Yuan suddenly laughed.

With the vast amount of recipes in his possession, it was impossible to completely stop him from refining the Gu he needed. He had already obtained enough hairy men and wolves for now.

Old Man Yan Shi was a wisdom path Gu Immortal from Southern Border. However, his true identity was even more dangerous—he was part of Shadow Sect. Most importantly, his vital Gu was the Heavenly Secret Immortal Gu.

(Heavenly Secret Immortal Gu was a heaven path Gu and the core of the Obscured Heavenly Secret killer move. It was said that even Star Constellation Immortal Venerable used Heavenly Secret Gu to gain knowledge of events that happened up to three million years after her death.)

Fang Yuan thought of the old man, "He already knows that I'm in Hu Immortal blessed land, and even the secret of Spring Autumn Cicada. But he won't use the Gu again to track me. His lifespan is running out."

"Heavenly Secret Gu will be mine, along with your entire Shadow Sect, in the future," Fang Yuan said with a cold smile as he stood up.

...

After a few weeks of management, Hu Immortal blessed land had undergone many positive changes under Fang Yuan's careful oversight.

He had settled the hairy men, providing them with a peaceful environment and comfortable living conditions. Their sole task was refining Gu, but for the hairy men, refining was life itself. Fang Yuan handed them the necessary recipes and materials to begin their work and then left them to it.

He also organized the wolf groups in his blessed land. In the beautiful western region, large numbers of wolves and smaller numbers of foxes coexisted peacefully. While the wolves' arrival initially disrupted the foxes' easy lives, there were no disastrous casualties.

The credit for this balance went to the vast fields of shell flowers planted across the land. Within these seas of shell flowers, countless pink rabbits thrived, easily multiplying and becoming the primary food source for both the wolf and fox groups.

Fang Yuan then ordered the land spirit to purchase souls for him, allowing him to multiply the Rockmen for sale while also strengthening his own soul.

Next, he gathered the necessary materials for refining Stargate Gu, which he would need to transport wolves or even larger creatures. He anticipated its vital role in his future plans. To activate the Stargate Gu, he had already prepared another Gu in the eastern area: Starlight Firefly Gu.

It was precisely because of the exchange for the starlight firefly group's breeding insights from Star Lord Wan Xiang.

Fang Yuan nodded in approval as he checked over his blessed land, satisfied with the progress and improvements he had made.

...

Fang Yuan returned to his Dang Hun Palace and began refining the Stargate Gu.

"A.I. Chip, let's begin," he commanded.

[Beep, the current success rate is 40%], the A.I. Chip responded.

Fang Yuan glanced at the probability —it was already a high enough chance. This Gu was notoriously difficult to refine, even Lang Ya land spirit had failed on the first attempt.

Following the steps provided by the A.I. Chip, Fang Yuan began the refinement process.

However, the attempt failed… then failed again… and yet again.

"This is truly difficult," Fang Yuan murmured. "I only have enough materials for two more tries."

With no time to waste, he resumed refining the Stargate Gu. After several tense moments, he finally succeeded. "Good, everything is going exactly as I planned," he muttered, satisfied.

But Fang Yuan didn't stop there. He started refining another Stargate Gu, wanting more on hand for emergencies. To his surprise, the second attempt also succeeded.

A rare smile crept across his face, and Fang Yuan laughed. "Hahaha."

After tidying up his work, Fang Yuan made his way to his bed, finally allowing himself some needed rest.

...

The next day.

Fang Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed, meticulously reviewing the instructions he had set for the A.I. Chip, ensuring everything was in order.

"With this, my attainment will rise significantly," Fang Yuan smiled, satisfied with his progress.

"There are about nine months left until the next calamity."

His eyes gleamed with determination. "That gives me at most eight months to achieve what I desire."

"Eight months… to attain Immortal Ascension and become a Gu Immortal."

.

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Ch 28: Reality Simulation

It was night

A young night wolf prowled with its pack, searching for prey. As they moved through the dense shell flowers, they spotted a group of pink rabbits. The young wolf darted forward skillfully, sinking its teeth into a rabbit and swiftly killing it. With the first catch secured, the rest of the pack followed, beginning their hunt for more rabbits in the area.

Suddenly, a rival pack of wind wolves approached, intent on stealing their hard-earned prey.

A fierce battle erupted between the two packs, wolves biting and tearing into each other with savage force. The wind wolves quickly gained the upper hand, overwhelming the night wolves.

Yet, the young night wolf fought with remarkable skill, attacking, defending, and dodging in a flawless rhythm. Time and time again, it repeated the cycle, displaying a natural talent for combat.

Eventually, the tide of battle turned. The wind wolves, sensing defeat, began to retreat. The young night wolf stood victorious.

...

[... the reality simulation has ended.]

The A.I. Chip's voice echoed in Fang Yuan's mind.

"Hmm, that one was easy," Fang Yuan murmured with a satisfied smile. "But it makes sense—I've been doing this for five months now."

Indeed, five months had passed since Fang Yuan began his simulations, and in that time, he had accomplished much.

First, he used the Blood Skull Gu to raise the aptitude of both his apertures to 97%.

He had held off using the Blood Skull Gu earlier because of the limitations on the second aperture's aptitude.

When using Second aperture Gu, the aptitude could not be higher than the Gu Master's first aperture. If the Gu Master's first aperture was at 90%, then the limit of second aperture must also be at 90%. If the Gu Master's second aperture was at 99%, then the Gu Master would only have 90%, the remaining 9% aptitude would be wasted.

Fang Yuan made full use of the blood, body and soul of his brother Fang Zheng ,so we can see how great love he had.

Second, he rapidly advanced his second aperture from a Rank 1 Initial Stage to Rank 5 Peak Stage. Using Relic Gu for each breakthrough, Fang Yuan achieved this cultivation speed, granting him two apertures with Rank 5 Peak Stage cultivation.

Third, he also focused on Gu refinement. Fang Yuan continued to purchase hairy men to mass-refine Gu. Even though they occasionally wasted materials, it didn't bother him; he knew their efforts would bear great fruit in the future. Meanwhile, Fang Yuan himself refined several Rank 5 Gu he needed and even upgraded his vital Gu to Rank 5 in the process.

Fang Yuan stood with a sharp gleam in his eyes, knowing well that everything was proceeding according to his grand plan and even much better thanks to the reality simulation.

...

The reality simulation was a new ability Fang Yuan had recently uncovered within the A.I. Chip. The reason for this sudden appearance was simple—the chip had grown stronger. When Fang Yuan used Guts Gu, the A.I. Chip had unexpectedly benefited, absorbing its power and upgrading itself, enhancing its analytical speed and granting it even greater capabilities.

The A.I. Chip, bound exclusively to Fang Yuan's soul, had always been a powerful, emotionless tool, utterly loyal to him. Now, with this unexpected boost, it could do even more. Yet, it wasn't something that happened often or predictably. Fang Yuan had tried using Guts Gu again recently, but this time the chip showed no signs of improvement.

Seeking to further empower the chip, he even purchased rare and precious immortal materials, yet they had no effect. In fact, before realizing that Guts Gu could upgrade the A.I. Chip, Fang Yuan had tested countless other materials, but none had triggered any response. It puzzled him—why did only Guts Gu work? What was the secret behind this?

"Perhaps once I ascend to immortality, I'll uncover the true nature of this A.I. Chip," Fang Yuan thought, as he methodically organized all the gains and progress he'd made over the last five months.

Despite the mystery, Fang Yuan felt a growing sense of confidence. The A.I. Chip's evolution, though unpredictable, hinted at limitless potential.

...

"A.I. Chip, show me my attainments," Fang Yuan commanded with a calm expression.

[... Beep! Host's attainments below Quasi-Master will not be displayed:

Blood Path:Grandmaster

Strength Path: Quasi-Master

Refinement Path: Quasi-Grandmaster

Transformation Path: Quasi-Grandmaster

Enslavement Path: Master

Earth Path: Master 

Flying Non-Path: Quasi-Grandmaster…]

Fang Yuan reviewed the report, feeling pleased with his progress. High attainment in a path could sometimes surpass the value of even Immortal Gu. A Grandmaster could imitate other paths. A Great Grandmaster understood every profundity of their chosen path. And a Supreme Grandmaster could transcend the world's knowledge, introducing entirely new concepts that even the heavens had never seen.

The sudden leap in his attainments was largely due to the Reality Simulation feature of the A.I. Chip. As its name suggested, the simulation allowed Fang Yuan to live the life of any creature—provided he had enough information about it. This limitation meant he couldn't yet simulate powerful beings like an ice phoenix or a sword dragon, but what he could simulate had already proven invaluable.

For the past five months, Fang Yuan had experienced the lives of countless creatures: fish, birds, wolves, tigers, insects, and more. He absorbed their every action—the way they attacked, defended, dodged, or even escaped. Through these simulations, each experience became part of him, significantly advancing his attainments.

Most notably, his Transformation Path had surged to Quasi-Grandmaster level in a remarkably short time. Although five months in reality had passed, the simulations allowed Fang Yuan to experience the equivalent of hundreds of years, accelerating his growth exponentially.

However, Fang Yuan's attainments were not limited to just the Transformation Path. He had also lived as a flame bird and a thunder wolf at different times, leading to a point where his mastery over various elemental paths—such as water, fire, and thunder—had become ordinary or about to be.

The same applied to his Flying Non-Path attainment. By simulating various birds like wind falcons and thunder eagles, his reliance on flight in these simulations had sharpened his understanding, propelling him to Quasi-Grandmaster in flying techniques as well.

The Reality Simulation was proving to be an incredible tool, offering limitless benefits with unlimited potential.

During these five months, his refining efforts were also augmented by the A.I. Chip's analytical power. Each failure and success was immediately analyzed and integrated into his understanding, pushing his Refinement Path to Quasi-Grandmaster as well.

...

"These five months have been tough, but they have benefited me greatly," Fang Yuan muttered, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.

"My main focus has been the Transformation Path. It's the path that will yield the greatest gains and make my plans a reality."

"Next, I need to prepare for my ascension; time is running short."

"I will soon become a Transformation Path Gu Immortal."

Fang Yuan felt as though he could already glimpse his future.

.

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Ch 29: Fully Prepared

...

The Transformation Path, founded by Reckless Savage Demon Venerable, allows Gu Masters to transform into various creatures, gaining their corresponding dao marks and amplifications. It's a path with low entry requirements, relying on Gu worms that enable the transformation into beasts. In this form, the user benefits from the dao marks of the creature they've become. Most of these transformations are achieved through killer moves, which are relatively easy to create by combining Gu worms that alter specific parts of the body.

This is the path Fang Yuan has chosen to focus on, while Strength Path remains his secondary focus for now.

"Transformation Path is perfect for me," Fang Yuan mused. "With it, I can create numerous killer moves, and I already know how to progress in this path. Once I get Wisdom Gu, I can even transform my dao marks into wisdom marks making use of all its value."

Then a faint smile appeared on his face as he looked down at his vital Gu.

"What I didn't expect was for Lang Ya Land Spirit to have something like this." He inspected his vital Gu carefully—Shapeshifting Gu, feeling both surprised and pleased.

"This Gu must be a result of Lang Ya Land Spirit's research into this semi-finished recipe." Fang Yuan's thoughts were already racing ahead. "He was clearly trying to replicate Change Form Immortal Gu, which was the vital Gu of Reckless Savage Demon Venerable."

Change Form Immortal Gu had only existed as an immortal-level Gu, and its complete recipe was unknown to everyone. Lang Ya Land Spirit had been unable to recreate it fully, eventually creating the Shapeshifting Gu—a weaker, mortal version of the Change Form Gu.

Fang Yuan's gaze grew sharper. "I'll obtain that semi-finished recipe and complete it myself in the future. The Change Form Immortal Gu will also be mine."

He looked at his Shapeshifting Gu once more, This Gu has the potential to become immortal. it was noted in the recipes that Lang Ya Land Spirit had the incomplete immortal recipe.

Fang Yuan smiled, understanding that Lang Ya Land Spirit had left this note for him ,so he would come to the Land Spirit and complete the recipe as the land spirit already saw that Fang Yuan had a very high attainment in Wisdom Path.

...

Shapeshifting Gu was an impressive Gu in its own right. It allowed physical transformation, enabling the user to change their size, shape, and appearance to mimic anything they had seen—be it humans, animals, or even inanimate objects. Additionally, it had adaptive capabilities, letting the user alter their body's density, texture, and durability while in different forms, granting limited adaptation to their environment. 

However, the Shapeshifting Gu had its drawbacks. First, unlike Change Form Immortal Gu, which not only altered appearance but also granted new abilities related to the form—like gaining wings to fly—Shapeshifting Gu focused purely on appearance. It didn't allow the user to fully adopt the traits or powers of the shifted form. Second, its transformations were often temporary and came with time limitations, requiring frequent activation and consuming large amounts of immortal essence. This made it unsuitable for long-term transformations.

In essence, Shapeshifting Immortal Gu was ideal for infiltration, stealth, and mimicry. It offered swift adaptation to various environments and situations but lacked the raw power of full transformations. Change Form Immortal Gu, on the other hand, was a true combat tool, granting powerful physical traits like enhanced speed, strength, or flight depending on the form.

"Shapeshifting Gu serves its purpose for me," Fang Yuan thought, "I can combine it with Change Form Immortal Gu in the future."

With that, Fang Yuan's mind focused back on his grand plan. The path of transformation had only just begun for him, but soon, he would soar to new heights—unmatched in his mastery of not only Transformation Path but all paths.

...

Fang Yuan began preparing to leave, knowing he couldn't have his immortal ascension within the blessed land. His ascension required a different location.

He carefully organized the vast collection of Gu he had accumulated from the hairy men and those he had refined himself. His inventory now held an impressive array of Transformation Path Gu, alongside Gu from various other paths, ready to be deployed in his killer moves.

Using the A.I. Chip's aid, Fang Yuan had devised numerous mortal killer moves tailored to support him during his ascension, meticulously crafted to deal with the many potential threats he might face.

In addition to refining Gu, Fang Yuan had spent considerable time buying souls. These souls were a crucial resource for cultivating Guts Gu, allowing him to continually strengthen his soul. Over time, his soul had grown to 500 man soul. Although he could have pushed it to 1,000 times, the frequent use of the Reality Simulation ability consumed parts of his soul, which kept him from achieving that threshold. Moreover, Fang Yuan had deliberately chosen not to transform his soul into the form of a wolf, tiger, or other beasts. He maintained it as a pure Man Soul, understanding that this was the best path for his long-term plans.

Meanwhile, the Immortal Crane Sect remained silent, taking no direct action against Fang Yuan. They were patiently awaiting the next calamity in the blessed land, perhaps expecting it to weaken him or provide an opportunity to strike and invade.

In the following days, Fang Yuan continued his preparations, carefully going over the state of the blessed land. He meticulously checked each aspect of it, ensuring that no vulnerabilities would be left behind in his absence. Before leaving, he gave a series of detailed instructions to Little Hu Land Spirit, ensuring that the operations of the blessed land would continue smoothly even while he was away.

...

Fang Yuan was ready to leave, having made full preparations and plans for his next journey. He made backup plans and even backup plan for the backup plan.

Looking at the blessed land one last time, he prepared to use the killer move Defying-Heaven Dark Travel.

Within three seconds, he vanished, leaving the blessed land, heading toward the place he carefully chose for his ascension.

.

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Ch 30: Immortal Ascension

Before diving in, I want to apologize

About the delay. I've been sick lately, and my body hasn't been adapting well to the weather changes.

On top of that, college has been pretty overwhelming for me lately.

So hope everyone understood my situation.

That aside I want to announce that I've had a lot of ideas recently and have been thinking about writing another novel. I've already thought through the full storylines for several of them. Initially, I was going to write False Truth Demon Venerable, a fanfiction focused on the illusion path—so, yes, my name actually has a bit of history!

SO

Tomorrow, I'll post a list of my novel ideas on Patreon for a public vote. I hope you can join in and share your thoughts!"

...

Enjoy reading

---

Northern Plains, Northern Region

A man appeared in the vast, snowy wilderness, emitting no aura. Had it not been for the faint dark light surrounding him, no one would have noticed his presence.

It was Fang Yuan. He had successfully used his killer move, Defying-Heaven Dark Travel, and arrived in some northern part of the Northern Plains. He carefully scanned his surroundings, ensuring no one was nearby.

"Good, it's as safe as I expected," Fang Yuan muttered, heading further north.

---

After a few days of travel, he reached his destination—a silent, desolate field of snow.

"I've arrived at my ascension place—the Absolute Ice Battlefield," Fang Yuan smiled as he looked over the icy plains.

In ancient times, Reckless Savage Demon Venerable had once fought strong enemies in the Absolute Ice Battlefield, destroying the land and leaving a void. After the fight, he turned into the immemorial desolate beast Ice Phoenix and restored the battlefield with his breath of absolute profound ice, freezing the void and creating the icy plain once more.

"This battlefield is a blessing from Reckless Savage Demon Venerable, and I will make full use of it," Fang Yuan said, excitement in his voice as he entered the icy field.

He stood calm amid the ice, ready to ascend to the Gu Immortal realm. His aperture wall in his second aperture began to shatter as he initiated the process.

A massive surge of heaven and earth qi erupted. The blue sky above darkened with clouds, and the icy ground cracked under the pressure. Heaven and earth qi grew denser by the second as Fang Yuan floated between the sky and the earth, absorbing and merging the energies with his own human qi.

As the three types of qi—heaven, earth, and human—fused, they poured into the space where his aperture once was, triggering a mysterious transformation. His physical body and soul were tempered, and his very existence elevated to a higher level.

---

There are Three Steps to a successful ascension.

 Crushing the Aperture: Fang Yuan had to shatter his mortal aperture completely, allowing the heaven and earth qi to nourish him. The more qi he absorbed, the higher his chances of succeeding. Importantly, the heaven and earth qi needed to remain perfectly balanced.

 Generating Human Qi: Fang Yuan had to generate his own human qi. This represented his battle strength, the toughness of his body, the depth of his soul, his understanding of Gu worms, and his attainment of the path he cultivated.

Balancing the Qi: Fang Yuan had to balance his human qi with the heaven and earth qi.

...

When Fang Yuan began generating human qi, he activated the Human Qi Increase Gu, a valuable gu he had acquired from Lang Ya Land Spirit. As his human qi increased, so did the influx of heaven and earth qi—along with the intensity of the calamities and tribulations that accompanied ascension.

Suddenly, a colossal desolate beast emerged from beneath the ice. It was a gigantic golden rat—the Earth Calamity, an Ancient Desolate Beast.

"I've been preparing for this," Fang Yuan smirked, quickly activating his killer moves.

He had planned meticulously for this moment, arming himself with a vast collection of Gu worms and a series of deadly killer moves, all with the help of the A.I. Chip. Not only that, but Fang Yuan had developed a technique allowing him to change his killer moves in battle—but this ability could only be used by a mortal because of his incomplete Dao marks.

So without hesitation, he transformed into an Ice Tiger, freezing the rat with powerful ice attacks. Using the tiger's formidable strength, he crushed the rat's body, before shifting forms—becoming a Water Wolf, then a Thunder Eagle, bombarding the rat with relentless strikes.

Although the giant rat lashed out in fury, Fang Yuan effortlessly dodged its attacks, transforming at the perfect moments to gain the upper hand. Eventually, he shattered the rat's head.

The ease of his victory was due to several factors. Firstly, the rat did not possess any Gu worms, neither immortal nor mortal. Secondly, it was due to the nature of the Absolute Ice Battlefield itself.

The battlefield was filled with the Dao Marks of Reckless Savage Demon Venerable who was giving help to Fang Yuan.

When Gu Masters of the strength path or transformation path ascended here, they would be infused with the venerable's true meaning. Fang Yuan knew this, and it was part of his plan.

"With this, my transformation path attainment should soar," Fang Yuan said, glancing at the decapitated rat. However, despite losing its head, the rat's body continued to move.

Fang Yuan, now in the form of a Wind Falcon, hovered high above, watching intently.

The next moment the rat's body suddenly exploded, releasing a swarm of beasts.

"It's the free attainment experience gift I've been waiting for," Fang Yuan chuckled.

He unleashed a massive fire tornado, obliterating a large number of the beasts, then dove into the fray, launching a savage slaughter. Every time he killed a beast, he felt his transformation attainment rise. Even his strength path attainment surged as he destroyed packs of powerful apes.

Fang Yuan reveled in the bloodshed, laughing wildly as his attainment levels soared.

After he killed enough, he stopped as the Heavenly Tribulation had arrived.

An Ice and Snow Tornado Tribulation descended upon him. Fang Yuan quickly activated his defensive killer moves, skillfully dodging and fending off the assault. Having already dealt with the beasts, there were no further distractions.

Fang Yuan had already used the Small Family Qi Gu to reduce the power of the tribulation, making it easier to endure. The once overwhelming pressure of the Heavenly Tribulation had lessened.

After some time the Tribulation ended but Fang Yuan's body stilled. He was now fully immersed in the swirling three-colored qi, balancing the energies perfectly.

"A.I. Chip, start analyzing the immortal recipe I need and gather all possible secrets," he commanded, his eyes closed in deep concentration. All manner of Great Dao mysteries flooded into his mind like a stream of warm light.

[Beep... Analysis in progress…]

After what seemed like an eternity, a brilliant light erupted, signaling the creation of his immortal aperture. The entire small world was engulfed in the blinding glow.

From the center of the aperture, an Immortal Gu slowly rose.

"So, this is the recipe. My Transformation Immortal Gu—Shapeshifting Immortal Gu—is finally here," Fang Yuan said calmly, gazing at the immortal Gu in front of him as it was a certain thing for him to get.

But suddenly his calm face changed

"…..Hmm, finally, I got it, I got it!" Fang Yuan laughed. "Now my plan can truly begin."

At that moment, Fang Yuan had completed his ascension and officially become a Gu Immortal.

After some time...

As Fang Yuan was inspecting his immortal aperture, a strong and rough voice suddenly echoed from behind him.

"Congratulations, little friend, on becoming an Immortal Gu Master."

.

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Ch 31: Domination Immortal

...

Fang Yuan was filled with a deep sense of satisfaction after completing his immortal ascension in the transformation path.

Transformation path was called the 'path that projected every path', transformation path Gu Immortals could transform into existences of metal path, light path, sword path, ice path, and all other paths.

But transformation path had a flaw, that was when transformation path Gu Immortals transform into other beings, they needed to get rid of those dao marks to prevent their dao marks from interfering with one another.

"But even so, This path is the best for me right now," Fang Yuan thought, his mind racing with the plan. "I didn't have many choices to begin with. I could only ascend through strength or transformation—both essential for my big plan. But transformation is, without a doubt, the optimal path for me."

Now Fang Yuan became immortal, he had gained even more flexibility.

"I can adapt to any situation and develop countless killer moves with the A.I. Chip's assistance."

...

Fang Yuan began inspecting his immortal aperture. His attention first focused on the green grape-like beads of immortal essence that were being generated. These beads represented boundless power. An immortal essence bead was worth more than primeval essence and could sustain countless mortal Gu indefinitely.

As a mortal, Fang Yuan had relied on special techniques and help from land spirits to access this immortal resource. He had even used a green bead from Little Hu, the land spirit, allowing him to utilize numerous Gu worms during his ascension otherwise he couldn't use all these Gu."

Now, looking at the green beads produced by his own immortal aperture, a sense of pride welled up within him.

"My immortal aperture is vast, over 5400 square kilometers," he noted. "With a flow of time fifteentimes faster than the outside world (1:15), I'll produce more than thirty beads of Green Grape Immortal Essence per year. I have a high grade immortal aperture."

As Fang Yuan was inspecting his immortal aperture, a strong and rough voice suddenly echoed from behind him.

"Congratulations, little friend, on becoming an Immortal Gu Master."

Fang Yuan's senses immediately sharpened. He turned around swiftly, eyes narrowing as he assessed the figure who had spoken.

The man stood tall and imposing, his body rippling with muscle. He exuded confidence, yet no hostility was apparent.

"No need to worry, little friend. I come with no ill intentions," the man reassured, his voice steady.

Fang Yuan's mind raced. Given the circumstances—this was the icy plains, and the man was a Rank 7 human Gu master—it didn't take long for Fang Yuan to guess his identity.

"This junior greets Lord Domination Immortal, Chu Du," Fang Yuan said, bowing slightly, masking his guardedness behind a respectful demeanor.

Chu Du raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh? This friend knows of me?"

"Of course," Fang Yuan replied smoothly. "Who in the world of cultivation doesn't know the famed Domination Immortal, leader of the strength path?"

Chu Du's stern expression softened into a smile, clearly pleased by the recognition. "Hahaha, I wouldn't go so far as to call myself the leader of a path."

"You are to me," Fang Yuan said earnestly, his tone laced with admiration. "I once followed the strength path myself and have long admired your achievements."

Chu Du's curiosity deepened. "Oh? And what caused you to leave the strength path for transformation?"

Fang Yuan's expression faltered for the briefest moment, surprise flickering in his eyes.

Chu Du, noticing Fang Yuan's brief look of surprise, spoke calmly, "I was observing your ascension ceremony."

Fang Yuan immediately understood Chu Du's interest. "He must have seen me changing killer moves without restriction. And with me ascending here, at the site of Reckless Savage Demon Venerable's true meaning..." His mind clicked into place. "He suspects I might have gained Reckless Savage Demon Venerable's inheritance."

Realizing this, Fang Yuan kept his expression composed as he responded, "I stumbled upon a trace of a transformation killer move, which made me shift paths without much hesitation."

He glanced at Chu Du before continuing, "I completed the move, and as you saw, Lord Chu Du, I can now transform freely."

Chu Du's eyes lit up. "That's an incredible killer move."

"I also heard that Reckless Savage Demon Venerable left behind his inheritance here, meant for those who ascend in this place. After learning this, I traveled far until I reached the Northern Plains." Fang Yuan sighed, as if recalling the hardships of his journey.

Chu Du nodded. "I thought as much—you don't seem like someone from the Northern Plains. But it seems your journey has brought you great rewards, as your attainment has clearly grown."

Fang Yuan shifted his expression from one of feigned sadness to satisfaction. "Yes, even though I didn't find Reckless Savage Demon Venerable's inheritance, the true meaning he left behind was an invaluable gift."

"Friend, there's something I'd like to ask of you," Chu Du said, still maintaining a friendly demeanor.

Fang Yuan smiled politely, thinking to himself, "Here it comes."

"What is it, Lord Chu?" he replied, keeping his tone light.

"I'd like to know if you'd be willing to sell me the details of your transformation killer move," Chu Du asked directly. "I'll pay whatever price you ask. Of course, if you choose not to, we can still remain friends."

Fang Yuan's smile widened, his expression appearing genuinely pleased. "Oh, no problem at all, Lord Chu. I would be honored to sell it."

Internally, however, he thought, "Friends? As I will believe that. You just want to confirm it's not Reckless Savage Demon Venerable's inheritance."

"Please, take it as a gift," Fang Yuan added generously, transmitting the clearing method he had created. Since it was only useful for mortals, it had lost its value to him besides it was created to depend on his adaptive transformation Gu.

"Hahaha, wonderful! I've gained a dear friend today." Chu Du laughed heartily, clearly satisfied as he accepted the killer move. He handed Fang Yuan his contact information, saying, "You can reach out to me if any trouble arises, my friend. And, may I ask for your name?"

"Zhou Bu," Fang Yuan replied without hesitation.

"Then, friend Zhou Bu, I'll take my leave. Congratulations again on your ascension to immortality." Chu Du smiled and, with that, left swiftly, disappearing into the distance.

...

Fang Yuan's face was so gloomy as he reflected on his current situation.

"It was the right decision not to send the fixed Immortal Travel Gu to Hu Blessed Land," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the black stone he had placed in his aperture.

The black stone was already full of cracks.

"As a mortal, I couldn't sense him, but now that I am an immortal, I will ensure nothing like this will ever happen again."

A smile slowly spread across his face as he looked up at the sky, envisioning all the benefits he could gain from the Northern Plains. "Now it's time for the next step."

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Ch 32: Attitude Gu

Fang Yuan was meticulously calculating his gains from this recent trip, which had led to his ascension as an immortal. "My attainments have soared. I've refined the Shapeshifting Immortal Gu, and I've become an Immortal Gu Master. I can now achieve things I couldn't before."

"But the biggest gain—and the main reason I chose this location—is this." Fang Yuan smiled, his eyes burning with intensity as he gazed at the Gu in his hand.

"My first Wisdom Immortal Gu, and it's a Rank 8... the Attitude Gu."

The reason Fang Yuan had cultivated the transformation path and chosen to ascend in this particular place was all for this Gu. He had used the same method Hei Lou Lan once employed to claim and refine it, borrowing the heavenly might of the tribulation.

The A.I. Chip had calculated the location of this Gu based on information Fang Yuan had gathered regarding the disappearance of Hei Feng Yue.

Hei Feng Yue, granddaughter of Hei Fan—who was the esteemed ancestor of the Hei Tribe—had once owned the Attitude Gu. As a mortal, she had wandered into the Absolute Ice Battlefield with the Gu, and rumor had it she vanished, taking the Gu with her. But Fang Yuan knew the truth: Hei Feng Yue hadn't disappeared. She had fallen in love with a rockman Gu Immortal named Shi Mu, eventually marrying him and becoming a Gu Immortal herself. Known afterward as Lady Earth Mother, her Blessed Land had transformed into the Earth Mother Altar, hidden deep beneath the Absolute Ice Battlefield.

"The Attitude Gu was the key reason Chu Du believed my act earlier. He thought I was being completely honest with him."

The Attitude Gu's ability is to conceal a Gu Master's true emotions, projecting a fake attitude that others instinctively believe. What makes it even more formidable is that it requires no Immortal Essence to use—only mental energy. As long as the user has the capacity to think, they can wear and utilize the Attitude Gu effectively.

The Attitude Gu doesn't just manipulate how others view the Gu Master outwardly—it alters their perception on a deeper, mental level. When a Gu Master wears the Attitude Gu, outsiders don't merely see a façade of what he want them to see.

...

"I've gained everything I imagined from this trip. In fact, it was so easy that it makes me suspicious."

Fang Yuan's smile deepened. "I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of Reckless Savage Demon Venerable's little assists."

Despite this, Fang Yuan was thrilled with his accomplishments. Even though he knew his attainment level But still he gave a command to his A.I. Chip. "A.I. Chip, display my current attainments."

[... Beep! Host's attainments below Quasi-Master will not be displayed:

Transformation Path: Grandmaster

Blood Path:Grandmaster

Strength Path: Quasi-Grandmaster

Refinement Path: Quasi-Grandmaster

Enslavement Path: Master

Earth Path: Master 

Flying Non-Path: Quasi-Grandmaster…]

Fang Yuan admired the visualized display of his attainments, feeling a sense of satisfaction. Absorbing the true meaning of Reckless Savage Demon Venerable had significantly elevated both his transformation and strength attainments.

However, seeing the flying attainment displayed left him indifferent. "A.I., don't show the flying attainment in the future."

Flying, after all, wasn't a true path—it was merely a skill all immortals had mastered. In mortal battles, it mattered more, but for immortals, it was simply a given. Without any corresponding dao marks, the flying attainment could only ever reach Grandmaster level, which was the limit.

...

"The earth calamity in the blessed land will occur in just over two months, but that's in a blessed land with five times the normal flow of time. Which means... I only have twelve days in the Northern Plains," Fang Yuan calculated, organizing his plan carefully. "Should I leave and stay in the blessed land to prepare for the calamity?"

"No," he quickly decided, "I need to make preparations for the Lang Ya Land Spirit so I can use my second chance to refine the Immortal Gu I desire."

With that, Fang Yuan's decision was made. He would head to Lang Ya Spirit Land.

Activating the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu directly, Fang Yuan vanished in a flash of jade light. As an Immortal Gu Master now, the process was swift and effortless. He reappeared in the familiar stone forest, his clothes neatly donned, thanks to the Cloth Gu.

Without hesitation, he approached the purple pillar and used the Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's method to enter Lang Ya Spirit Land. He still didn't want to reveal that he possessed this Gu yet.

Moments later, Fang Yuan appeared in the grand room he had visited before—decorated with dragon pillars, golden curtains, crane lanterns, and vermillion windows.

Lang Ya appeared instantly, not making Fang Yuan wait. "You're back! Do you want to refine your second Gu already? But I must—" Lang Ya's voice cut off abruptly, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You've become an Immortal??"

The shock was evident on Lang Ya's face. It had only been a month in normal time since Fang Yuan was last here, and now he was an Immortal Gu Master. Even though time in Lang Ya Spirit Land flowed thirty-six times slower, it was still unfathomable how fast Fang Yuan had progressed.

How could Lang Ya understand the reality? Fang Yuan was a man with the assistance of an A.I. Chip, possessing 500 years of memories and experiences, supplemented by his simulation training.

"Oh yes, I became immortal," Fang Yuan replied nonchalantly, as if it was the most trivial achievement.

Lang Ya remained frozen, struggling to process the speed of Fang Yuan's rise. It was simply too fast. Eventually, he managed to stammer, "W-why are you here?"

"Why, to visit you, of course," Fang Yuan smiled warmly. "The first thing I did after becoming an Immortal was to come and share the good news with my dear friend Lang Ya. How could I not?"

Using the Attitude Gu, Fang Yuan's expression seemed perfectly sincere.

Lang Ya Spirit Land felt momentarily suspicious, thinking Fang Yuan might be mocking him. But after seeing Fang Yuan's honest and friendly demeanor, he believed him. Fang Yuan truly seemed genuine.

Feeling flattered, Lang Ya quickly responded, "Oh, congratulations on becoming a Gu Immortal! I'll treat you to some of my finest tea, a special brew reserved only for immortals."

"Thank you, my friend," Fang Yuan said, still maintaining his earnest look. "Actually, I've spent most of my time cultivating in seclusion and haven't kept in touch with many people. You're the only one I can really talk to right now. Besides sharing my happy news, I also have a business proposition."

"What is it?" Lang Ya Spirit Land, flattered even more, perked up at the mention of business. Fang Yuan's high attainment in the Wisdom Path had always impressed him, and now there was a chance to profit further.

"It's exactly the business you've been waiting for," Fang Yuan continued smoothly. "I can complete your unfinished Gu recipes in exchange for resources I need. Of course, we'll agree on a fair price—after all, I'm a new Immortal and need to manage my Immortal Aperture."

Lang Ya Spirit Land chuckled, slightly embarrassed that his intentions had been so easily seen through. "Hehe, no problem at all. I've been wanting to complete those recipes for a while now."

Fang Yuan smiled, looking grateful. "You are truly a good friend, Lang Ya."

"But there is one more thing I want to ask," Fang Yuan added, a sly gleam in his eyes. "I'd like to trade for something in exchange for the two Rank 6 Gu you still owe me."

"What will that be?"

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Ch 33: Familiar Face

...

"I'd like to trade for something in exchange for the two Rank 6 Gu you still owe me."

Lang Ya Land Spirit's expression brightened. As a new immortal, Fang Yuan should be asking for some resources—something Lang Ya could easily part with. Pleased, he asked, "What will that be?"

"I want the Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's signature killer move, Familiar Face," Fang Yuan said with a friendly smile.

In an instant, Lang Ya Land Spirit's mood shifted from happiness to shock. He stared at Fang Yuan, stunned, before blurting, "How do you even know I have this killer move?"

Fang Yuan's smile deepened as he replied in an honest tone, "I'm Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's inheritor, so I had some clues. And with my wisdom attainment, it wasn't hard to deduce the rest."

Lang Ya's eyes grew more complicated. After a pause, he finally admitted, "Indeed, I possess the Familiar Face killer move. Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable traded it with me long ago."

With a sigh, Lang Ya's gaze turned distant, recalling past events. "Back then, Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable sought out my main body to refine the Space Escape Gu. My main body was equally interested, and we worked together for twenty-one years. That's by normal time of the five regions—if calculated with Lang Ya Grotto-Heaven's time, it would be much longer!"

He smiled wistfully. "In those twenty-one years, my main body and Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable made countless attempts, but each one failed. His resources were drained, and even my treasury was nearly empty. Naturally, my main body wasn't willing to make a loss. In the end, Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable had to offer some of his own assets to purchase more materials from me. Unfamiliar Face, Vaguely Familiar Face, and Familiar Face—this set of killer moves was part of that exchange."

Lang Ya snapped back to the present and scrutinized Fang Yuan. "Your ability in the wisdom path is remarkable. Did you ascend as a Wisdom Immortal?"

"No," Fang Yuan shook his head. "I chose to ascend as a Transformation Immortal Gu Master. That's why I want this killer move—it has some insights into the transformation path that could help me deduce an immortal killer move of my own."

Fang Yuan spoke with complete honesty. Maintaining trust with Lang Ya was crucial, and it wasn't difficult for others to discern which path someone had ascended into.

"Ah, Transformation Path." Lang Ya paused, then remarked with surprise, "I didn't know you also cultivated transformation besides refinement and wisdom. It's rare to see someone cultivate three paths at such a high level of attainment."

Fang Yuan remained humble, replying politely, "I still have much to learn. Compared to truly remarkable figures like you, my friend, I've barely scratched the surface. I've always admired Long Hair Ancestor. In my heart, he's the true leader of the refinement path."

Lang Ya beamed at the flattery, pride tinging his voice. "Hehe, though I've reached the peak of the path, there are still two others like me. So, I won't claim to be the leader just yet."

After a moment of shared amusement, Lang Ya's expression turned serious again. "But even though we're friends, this killer move is worth far more than two Divine Travel Gu."

"I know, my friend," Fang Yuan answered warmly. "I've already prepared something of a huge value to you. Besides, you once promised to give me a friendly price if there was something I truly needed."

The last time Fang Yuan visited, after acquiring the Second Aperture Immortal Gu and trading the Divine Travel Gu, he had set this condition in motion.

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FLASHBACK

Fang Yuan's smile broadened. "Just like before, you'll owe me the price of this Divine Travel Gu. And if you have something of little value to you but great value to me, you'll sell it at a friendly price."

Lang Ya Land Spirit had relaxed back then, his posture growing more confident. "Fine, we'll do it like that."

End of Flashback

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From the moment Fang Yuan set foot in the Northern Plains, he had been preparing for this Killer move. He had targeted the Attitude Gu afterward, knowing he had a high chance to get it.

Every action, every step was part of his meticulous plan, carefully crafted for this very moment.

All for the greater plan. 

..

Lang Ya Land Spirit, remembering his earlier promise, felt slightly embarrassed. "Yes, I did say that. Hmm… what is this thing of great value to me?" he asked, curiosity piqued.

Fang Yuan smiled, brimming with confidence. "It's information about your next earth calamity… and about a group of immortals planning to attack you at that time."

Lang Ya was stunned. "What? That's impossible! No matter how high your wisdom attainment, it's not something you can simply deduce!"

Fang Yuan nodded calmly. "I had clues about the group planning to attack you. As for the earth calamity, it was something I couldn't deduce through normal means—it was an accidental gain." His tone was mysterious, leaving the land spirit in suspense.

"Honestly, I was going to tell you this information regardless. After all, we're friends. But since I don't have anything else of equal value to trade for Familiar Face…" Fang Yuan's voice grew somber, a hint of sadness in his expression.

Lang Ya Land Spirit could feel Fang Yuan's sincerity, and it wasn't just an act. Fang Yuan truly seemed to be speaking from the heart.

"How about this—if the information is wrong, I'll complete recipes for you until my debt is fully paid, my friend," Fang Yuan offered, looking down at the ground, clearly embarrassed by the situation. He avoided Lang Ya's gaze, as if afraid that his friend and idol would refuse him.

Fang Yuan's expression seemed heartbroken, as though the idea of Lang Ya betraying his trust hurt him deeply.

Lang Ya, feeling guilty for doubting him, softened. Though he was a land spirit, the sense of being "mean" weighed on him. And if the information was true, it could be invaluable—knowing about the group of immortals intending to attack him could prevent serious damage to his grotto-heaven.

After a moment of deliberation, Lang Ya finally relented. "Alright, I agree to this deal."

Fang Yuan's face lit up with happiness and gratitude. He looked at Lang Ya Land Spirit with genuine warmth. "Thank you. I'll remember this favor. You truly are a great friend."

Fang Yuan handed over a Gu that contained all the information he had. "Here. This Gu has everything on the immortals planning to attack you, and as for the next calamity—it will most likely be 'Endless Thunder and Lightning Rain'. I'm 80% certain this will be your next earth calamity."

Lang Ya, though still processing everything, handed over the Familiar Face killer move to Fang Yuan.

As Lang Ya began reviewing the information Fang Yuan provided about the future attackers, he visibly relaxed. There were only five weaker immortals involved, and once he made proper preparations, he believed he could turn them into his slaves.

Meanwhile, Fang Yuan, having secured what he came for, prepared to leave. He and Lang Ya discussed the price for their future cooperation in completing the incomplete recipes.

"Then, Lang Ya, my friend, I'll take my leave now," Fang Yuan said, bidding farewell.

"Alright. I look forward to seeing those completed recipes next time!" Lang Ya replied, his excitement clear.

...

As Fang Yuan returned to the stone forest, his thoughts raced.

"I've established a solid relationship with Lang Ya Land Spirit," he mused. "All thanks to the Attitude Gu. Truly, it's as incredible as the legends say—worthy of being a Rank 8 Gu."

With time still left before he needed to return to his blessed land, Fang Yuan shifted his focus.

"I need to prepare the way to increase my luck. That will help tremendously in refining the Immortal Gu I desire."

With his decision made, Fang Yuan set off, heading toward the path that would lead to greater fortune.

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