The place the Langya Earth Spirit pointed to was none other than Taiqiu!
Fang Yuan's true objective was also Taiqiu.
But he couldn't say it outright. He could only hint obliquely, guiding the Langya Earth Spirit to "realize" the answer on his own.
Taiqiu — one of the ten great forbidden zones of the Northern Plains.
Here, a type of giant grass grew in abundance. This grass was extraordinarily thick and towering, a single blade comparable to an ordinary century-old tree.
Across the entire expanse of Taiqiu, this giant grass grew everywhere.
The enormous thickets stretched into a vast primeval jungle.
Within the jungle lived countless Desolate Beasts, Ancient Desolate Beasts, and there were even faint shadows of Prehistoric Desolate Beasts.
Therefore, even Gu Immortals dared not casually intrude. Even an Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal had to be cautious — a moment of carelessness, any commotion too great, and it could trigger a beast tide here.
Dongfang Changfan had set up his inheritance here for the purpose of seizing a body and being reborn. Later, Fang Yuan and the others had also fought fiercely on the slopes of Taiqiu.
"You should be familiar with this place, right?" The Langya Earth Spirit looked at Fang Yuan with a smile.
Fang Yuan said, "Indeed, somewhat familiar — because of Dongfang Changfan." As he spoke, he glanced at the Langya Earth Spirit, who clearly also knew this bit of history.
"I plan to set up the teleportation Gu formation within Taiqiu. What do you think?" the Langya Earth Spirit asked.
Fang Yuan pondered for a moment. "To be honest, I don't recommend that our sect set up a Gu formation on Taiqiu. Precisely because I'm somewhat familiar with it, I feel even more strongly that this shouldn't be done. This place is like a hornet's nest — the slightest disturbance could trigger a beast tide. And this wouldn't be an ordinary tide of mortal beasts. At minimum, it would involve Desolate Beasts and possibly even Ancient Desolate Beasts. Triggering the emergence of Prehistoric Desolate Beasts is also entirely possible."
"I once had a fierce battle there. But that was because Dongfang Changfan had constructed the stage of combat using the corpse of a Prehistoric Ruin Bat. The aura of the Prehistoric Desolate Beast effectively blocked other Desolate Beasts and Ancient Desolate Beasts. That was precisely why no beast tide was triggered. But after the heavenly disaster and earthly tribulation washed the aura of the Prehistoric Desolate Beast clean, that Prehistoric Ruin Bat corpse was immediately torn apart and devoured by countless Desolate Beasts and Ancient Desolate Beasts. From this alone, you can see how terrifying Taiqiu truly is."
"If we set up the teleportation Gu formation at the edge of Taiqiu, we could retreat outward, but our Gu Immortals would also be easily detected by other forces. If we set it up deeper within Taiqiu, once a battle goes poorly, our Gu Immortals would have no escape. Even if we selected a prime location that could balance both concerns, the slightest spread of combat could trigger a beast tide, making discovery all but inevitable."
"Exactly because of these considerations, none of the superpowers want to touch Taiqiu. And our sect has even more to worry about. This place is not a good choice at all."
Fang Yuan's incisive analysis of the pros and cons was delivered with an air of earnest sincerity — every word dripping with loyal devotion.
The Langya Earth Spirit burst into hearty laughter.
Between laughs, he patted Fang Yuan on the shoulder.
He laughed for quite a while before finally speaking: "Fang Yuan, you've made excellent points. But don't you worry. Look — what is this?"
The Langya Earth Spirit, like someone proudly showing off a treasure, placed a communication path Gu Insect into Fang Yuan's hand.
After examining it, Fang Yuan feigned a look of shock and elation, crying out: "This — this — this! An entire topographic map of Taiqiu, as detailed as this? It's like a pillow delivered just as you're about to fall asleep! Ah, no — I never imagined our sect's foundations ran this deep! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it!"
"Ha ha ha! Good lad, you've seen it now." The Langya Earth Spirit beamed with delight, bouncing on his feet and waving his arms with excitement.
"Amazing, truly amazing!" Fang Yuan gave a thumbs up, his face full of genuine admiration.
The Langya Earth Spirit explained excitedly: "This is the topographic map of Taiqiu that my original body obtained over many expeditions, seeking immortal materials. After combining my own experience with the deductions of others, this is what I came away with!"
"So that's how it is." Fang Yuan's face showed a look of sudden realization.
In truth, he had already known all along.
This intelligence was a small part of what he had obtained through his deal with the Shadow Sect.
It was precisely because of this Taiqiu topographic map that Fang Yuan had devised his plan — deliberately mentioning earth trenches while in fact guiding the Langya Earth Spirit in this direction all along.
The Langya Earth Spirit pointed at the communication Gu Insect in Fang Yuan's hand and continued: "This map not only records the various terrain features of Taiqiu, but also the distribution of beast herds in each area. However, it has one major flaw — it was created far too long ago. After so many years, Taiqiu must have undergone tremendous changes."
"What the Supreme Grand Elder says is true. I share this very concern," Fang Yuan quickly agreed.
The Langya Earth Spirit continued: "Aren't you familiar with that place? You're a human Gu Immortal, and now with the Immortal Gu Transformation at your disposal, I plan to have you make the trip. Take this topographic map with you."
Before the Langya Earth Spirit had even finished speaking, Fang Yuan rose to his feet, displaying unwavering resolve and boundless enthusiasm: "The Supreme Grand Elder need only give the order. To serve our sect in a matter of such importance to its development — this is my honor!"
The Langya Earth Spirit laughed heartily, patting Fang Yuan on the shoulder and gesturing for him to sit back down: "Fang Yuan, you're excellent. I didn't misjudge you. Rest assured — this time you go, the sect will not shortchange you. When you get there, act according to the situation. The main objective is to survey Taiqiu's terrain and update this topographic map. If the opportunity arises, set up the initial teleportation Gu formation at a suitable location."
"You see these three locations on the map? All three are marked with Prehistoric Desolate Beast corpses. Pay special attention to these three spots. If you can establish a teleportation Gu formation at any of them, that would be quite ideal."
"Of course, you must protect yourself and keep your movements hidden. Even if you're discovered, under no circumstances must you expose our sect's existence."
The Langya Earth Spirit gave careful instructions.
Fang Yuan nodded hastily, thumping his chest in assurance: "Supreme Grand Elder, rest easy. I'll make a few preparations and set out immediately!"
"Good, very good." The Langya Earth Spirit laughed, thoroughly satisfied with Fang Yuan's performance.
In truth, there wasn't much to prepare. The Langya Blessed Land had deep reserves, and Fang Yuan had left the Falling Loose Valley, the Soul-Wandering Mountain, and the Zhi Hui Gu here — he felt quite at ease about that.
Even with the Shadow Sect's mole, it wouldn't affect the bigger picture. Mao Liu could only make small waves, and with the Shadow Sect already preoccupied with its own problems, it was impossible for them to launch another raid on the Langya Blessed Land.