— — — — — — —
Western Desert - Tremor Desert
The moment Fang Yuan became a Gu Immortal, he wasted no time and headed straight for the Tremor Desert.
Unlike other deserts in the Western Desert, this one experienced violent tremors at irregular intervals. And what he came for lay beneath it.
"Hmm… where's the entrance to the cave?" Fang Yuan muttered, scanning the vast, shifting sands.
After searching for a while, he found nothing. "No wonder no one's discovered Zhen Yuan Zi's formation path inheritance. That old guy really hid it well."
Zhen Yuan Zi had once been a renowned Formation Path Gu Immortal of the Western Desert and a former member of the Che Clan. But after being cast out by his own people, he buried his inheritance deep beneath the Tremor Desert, ensuring it wouldn't fall into the hands of those who had betrayed him.
Fang Yuan activated several sound path killer moves, his perception extending beneath the surface.
Then—
"Got it."
Without hesitation, he moved forward, finding an entrance and stepping inside.
After overcoming a few minor tests, he arrived in a grand bronze hall. At the center of the chamber, a metallic lamp hung from a long, curved crane neck, casting an eerie glow. The massive stone tiles beneath his feet were framed by towering red pillars, their presence adding to the hall's ancient and solemn atmosphere.
"Zhen Yuan Zi really went all out with this righteous path thing," he mused, amused at how smoothly things were going.
His gaze returned to the lamp.
"Well, let's get this inheritance."
He took a step back—
And suddenly, his vision blurred.
Instead of retreating, he had somehow moved forward.
He stepped back again.
Swoosh.
This time, the shift was even more extreme—he was propelled forward by dozens of steps, stopping just a few paces away from the lamp.
A smirk tugged at his lips. "Well, this is the easiest inheritance trial ever."
Without hesitation, he reached out and touched the lamp.
The moment his fingers brushed against it, a slumbering will inside the lamp stirred.
A groggy voice echoed through the hall:
"Not bad, not bad… Fated one, you have passed the formation and reached me. This proves you are worthy of inheriting the true inheritance."
Formation spirits were rare, similar to land and heavenly spirits that controlled blessed lands and grotto-heavens.
However, unlike them, formation spirits could only be created using a unique Formation Spirit Immortal Gu—an invention of Zhen Yuan Zi himself, a secret he had never shared.
The spirit's voice sharpened with surprise. "You know about formation spirits? That should be impossible. Senior Zhen Yuan Zi created me… No one else should even be aware of my existence."
Fang Yuan remained unfazed. "Well, I'm your master now, aren't I?"
The formation spirit hesitated for a moment before acknowledging him. "You are indeed my master."
Then continued, "Master, there is a Green Claw Ghost Winged Lion here. It will awaken soon. You must subdue it."
Fang Yuan nodded casually. "Sure. But first, let's secure the inheritance."
Without hesitation, he began refining the formation spirit.
The process was so easy—there was no resistance. His immortal essence easily merged with the spirit, binding it to his will.
This was a major gain—exactly what he had been looking for.
Before, during his immortal ascension, he had relied on a formation. But setting it up had been tedious, requiring careful planning and precise execution. He had to prepare in advance, ensuring he could activate his killer moves when needed, all without managing the formation.
Now, with the formation spirit, things would be much easier. It could control the formation as if it were part of it, enhancing or modifying its killer moves on the fly. Even if the formation suffered damage, the spirit could repair it instantly.
The formation spirit was far too valuable. So much so that Fang Yuan focused entirely on refining it, not even sparing a glance at the Immortal Gu worms he had also obtained from the inheritance.
Finally, once he had fully taken ownership of the formation spirit, he collected the rest of his rewards—several Immortal Gu, numerous mortal Gu, and, most importantly, Zhen Yuan Zi's complete Formation Path inheritance, transferred directly from the formation spirit itself.
— — —
After obtaining everything, it was time to deal with the Green Claw Ghost Winged Lion.
"Layla, activate the formation," Fang Yuan ordered the formation spirit.
"..."
"Master, I'm a maleformation spirit, created by Zhen Yuan Zi himself. You could even say I am his spirit. So why the hell are you calling me Layla?" The formation spirit was utterly speechless. No way in hell was he letting anyone call him that—he'd rather die.
Seriously, do spirits not have any pride anymore?
"You've got a point," Fang Yuan admitted, rubbing his chin. "Alright then, how about Gigi? Sounds like a strong name, right?"
"Liliis a solid choice too."
The formation spirit immediately bowed. "Master, please… just don't give me a name."
"Actually, I don't need a name at all," he added, tears forming in his eyes.
"Alright, alright, I'm just messing with you!" Fang Yuan laughed. "How could I name something so powerful with such a silly name? Relax, I've already chosen something you're gonna love."
The formation spirit's eyes lit up with hope.
"Your name will be Zi."
"It's also a way to honor Zhen Yuan Zi. So from now on, I'll call you Zi."
The formation spirit—now Zi—paused for a moment. Then, after a deep sigh, he nodded.
"...That's actually a good name."
"See? Told you you'd love it," Fang Yuan grinned. "Alright, let's activate the formation."
"Yes, Master!"
— — —
With Zi's help, Fang Yuan activated the formation.
The Green Claw Ghost Winged Lion stirred from its slumber, but it was no real threat. Weakened from its prolonged sleep and further restrained by the formation's power, subduing it was effortless.
Fang Yuan examined the massive beast before him. "An Immemorial Desolate Beast…"
"It's in terrible shape right now, but I can easily restore it."
Once fully recovered, this creature could rival Rank 8 Immortal Gu Masters.
Its soul path nature even made it especially deadly against soul path Gu Immortals—it thrived on devouring souls.
"Such a powerful beast… Exactly what I need right now." A satisfied glint flickered in his eyes.
With this, he could take the next step soon—then it would be time to head to the Southern Border to get his woman.
"Everything is going smoothly."
Turning his attention to his spoils, seven Immortal Gu lay before him— Five Formation Path, one Soul Path, and one Enslavement Path.
•Three Rank 6 Formation Path Gu.
•Two Rank 7 Formation Path Gu.
•One Rank 7 Soul Path Gu.
•One Rank 6 Enslavement Path Gu.
Beyond that, he had acquired countless mortal Gu, an extensive collection of resources, and, most importantly, a detailed Rank 7 Formation Path true inheritance.
He chuckled. "Hahaha! From now on, even Rank 7 Immortals will have to fear me."
His gaze sharpened. "I need to prepare well. A fight with the Immortal Crane Sect is inevitable… and I might even clash with Feng Jiu Ge."
A smirk formed on his lips. "After all, I'm going to join his sect—Spirit Affinity House! Hehehe~~"
"I can't wait to see his face… and that annoying daughter."
"Hahaha!"
Fang Yuan laughed as he stored all the resources and formations inside his immortal aperture. Thanks to Zi, the process was effortless.
Then, without hesitation, he activated his Fixed Immortal Gu and returned to his Hu blessed land.
.
.
.