— — — — — — —
He Feng Yang let his imagination run wild, picturing the glorious future that awaited him.
Fixed Immortal Travel Gu in his left hand, Divine Travel Immortal Gu in his right, and the Blessed Land's countless treasures behind him.....He could already see himself standing at the peak of power.
And then there was Fang Yuan—the mortal who harbored countless secrets and possessed a valuable Blood Path inheritance.
"Hmmm… maybe I'll reach Rank 7 in just a few years. Who knows? Even the Heavenly Court might take notice and invite me to join them! Hehehe, my future is looking bright!"
Lost in his dreams, He Feng Yang basked in his imagined glory.
But suddenly—
"HE FENG YANG, GET OUT HERE!"
A thunderous voice shook the sect, cutting through his fantasies like a blade.
He Feng Yang froze.
His excitement vanished in an instant.
Puzzled yet wary, he hurriedly left his chamber, stepping out to find the last person he ever wanted to see—Feng Jiu Ge.
The infamous, number one most hated figure in the Immortal Crane Sect. The man whose very presence was loathed by the sect's higher-ups.
Feng Jiu Ge stood there, towering over him, his piercing gaze colder than ice. His anger was obvious.
The sheer intensity of his aura pressed down on He Feng Yang, making it hard to breathe.
Then, in a voice sharp as a blade, Feng Jiu Ge spoke—
"You like protecting Fang Yuan, don't you?" His eyes burned with fury.
"Hiding him, protecting him, even handing over your Immortal Gu for his safety. You even made it clear that the whole sect is protecting him and his blessed land."
He took a step closer. "You are his shield, right?"
"Then you should be happy to take a beating for him... or simply die for him!"
"..."
He Feng Yang was speechless. What the hell was going on?
"Feng Jiu Ge, what's wrong with you? I already handed over my Gu, and the Blessed Land matter should be settled!" He thought Feng Jiu Ge was here to bring up that issue again.
"Hmph. You and your sect think you can provoke me with a letter? I'll make sure you understand why that was a mistake."
"W-Wh..." Before He Feng Yang could even ask what letter he was talking about—
BAM!
A stick smashed into his face before he could open his mouth.
Pain exploded through his head. His vision spun. Humiliation surged through him.
He had no time to react. No time to defend himself. He didn't even understand why he was being beaten.
Feng Jiu Ge wasn't using any immortal moves—just a simple wooden stick. A mortal weapon. But that only made it worse. This wasn't a battle, it was humiliation.
If He Feng Yang dared to use an immortal move, Feng Jiu Ge would retaliate for real. He knew it. The difference in power was too great.
So, there was no choice but to take the beating. His only option was to endure, to protect his dignity or what was left.
But Feng Jiu Ge was in a really bad mood.
And the beating had only just begun.
— — —
At the same time,
Fang Yuan sat comfortably, glancing through He Feng Yang's reply.
The deal had been agreed upon, but He Feng Yang had also added a request for Guts Gu, offering rare items such as Rank 5 Relic Gu in return.
"Hahaha," Fang Yuan chuckled softly. "If only he knew I'm already a Rank 5 peak-stage Gu Master and probably have more Relic and Lifespan Gu than him. I really wonder how he'd react."
Fang Yuan was in a good mood. "Brother He Feng Yang must be waiting calmly for my reply, so I should send him a letter now."
"A few days, and my next plan will begin."
"Hmmm... he's even giving me extra resources I didn't ask for, hehehe... I'm really touched."
"I'll remember this generous contribution of yours, my dear bro."
At the end of the letter, He Feng Yang proposed a time for the exchange and mentioned that he would send Fang Yuan a Hole Earth Gu to facilitate the transportation of the Rockmen.
Fang Yuan had planned to sell seventy thousand Rockmen, and since they couldn't leave the Blessed Land through ordinary means, the Hole Earth Gu—a large-scale transportation Gu—was the perfect solution.
Reading this, Fang Yuan activated the Letter Gu and wrote back, agreeing to the plan while also expressing his concerns: 'I am worried that your Hole Earth Gu may contain traps, so I will refine it myself.'
With that, Fang Yuan sent his letter.
— — —
Three days later
Fang Yuan finally received the materials he had requested from He Feng Yang—along with an unusually delayed reply. His curiosity peaked as he furrowed his brow and opened the letter.
To his amusement, the letter was loaded with a barrage of insults. He Feng Yang had written every insult anyone could think of—shameless, unscrupulous, devious, vile,...
Fang Yuan read through it, a smile playing on his lips. "I got what I wanted anyway," he thought.
Unfazed by the insults, he moved on to the next step of his plan.
"A.I. Chip, assist me in refining Hole Earth Gu."
[Beep. Mission established.]
...
After successfully refining the Hole Earth Gu, Fang Yuan sent it back to He Feng Yang.
In the northern area of Hu Immortal Blessed Land, Fang Yuan inspected the surroundings before taking out the Hole Earth Gu. Being a special Rank 5 Gu, it required the full power of a Rank 5 peak-stage Gu Master to activate.
Fang Yuan used his primeval essence, and the Gu burst forth with scarlet light, sinking into the ground.
In an instant, the earth trembled. A red beam shot into the sky, and a large crack appeared in the ground. The surrounding earth bulged, resembling lips with rows of stone teeth that slowly parted, revealing an eerie, yawning cave.
"I'm hungry..." The giant, lip-like crack spoke, its voice shaking the ground.
Fang Yuan took out a Primeval Elder Gu. With a calm expression, he poured a massive amount of primeval stones into the opening.
The lip-like crack ground the stones into dust, swallowing them with a loud gulp that echoed through the mountains. After consuming the stones, it fell silent.
The Hole Earth Gu was now established, waiting for He Feng Yang's sub Gu to link the two locations.
"Land spirit, guard this place carefully," Fang Yuan commanded Little Hu, his tone serious. "If any suspected methods are used to invade from here, cut this area off from the Blessed Land."
"Yes, Master," Little Hu replied, worry creasing her face. She hated the idea of losing more of the Blessed Land.
"Now, let's proceed with our first trade."
— — —
Immortal Crane Sect disciples stood beside the sub Gu of Hole Earth Gu, diligently counting the Rockmen emerging from the large lip-like crack.
"Uh...997, 998, 999...."
"You forgot 996!"
"...I hate math, dammit."
The disciples continued counting as they restrained each Rockman that emerged, immobilizing them as soon as they touched the ground.
The transaction was a massive gain for Fang Yuan. He obtained many of the materials he needed, which he used to refine a lot of gu worms essential to his plans.
---
"Now it's time to leave," Fang Yuan said, his voice calm yet determined. "A.I. Chip, how's the progress on my killer move?"
[Scanning. It's... 100%. The Immortal killer move is now complete.]
For months, Fang Yuan had been meticulously preparing, calculating every possibility for his venture into the Northern Plains. The A.I. Chip's simulations played a crucial role....it had the main role actually, helping him create and perfect the killer move that would be central to his success.
At the core of this new killer move was none other than the Fixed Travel Immortal Gu.
With it, Fang Yuan could traverse vast distances instantly—a tool that would allow him to strike, escape, and outplay his enemies with ease.
It was an Immortal killer move that even a mortal like him could execute.
Sitting in his quiet room, Fang Yuan's thoughts drifted to his current strength. His wealth had grown far beyond what he once imagined, and now, as a Rank 5 peak Gu Master with 90% aptitude, he had amassed a collection of Gu worms ranging from Rank 1 to Rank 4, each ready to be deployed.
"I'm ready now for what's coming next."
"Northern Plains," he whispered, his voice barely audible but brimming with steely determination.
.
.
.