A day and a half later, the Supreme Sky Eagle carried Fang Yuan through the sky above an unnamed stretch of land.
The Supreme Sky Eagle suddenly slowed, beginning to circle in the air.
After flying in circles for a while, it seemed to lock onto a direction. It aimed at a particular point in the sky and gently pecked forward.
Instantly, a clear, resonant chime like a bell rang out by Fang Yuan's ear. The space before him split open, and his field of vision transformed in a heartbeat.
In the blink of an eye, the Supreme Sky Eagle had carried him away from the Northern Plains sky and into the Black Fan Cave Heaven.
"The Supreme Sky Eagle's power really can pierce through the void and enter a Cave Heaven directly! Even in its youth it's this formidable. Once it reaches adulthood, it will truly be a powerful asset."
Fang Yuan silently marveled as he surveyed his surroundings.
The Cave Heaven before him was vast beyond ordinary measure, stretching to the horizon without end.
Below Fang Yuan lay a dense primeval jungle. A deep, rich green spread in every direction, and birds and beasts filled the air, teeming with vitality.
"Qu Li Wood." Enormous trees rose all around, their leaves shimmering like multicolored feathers. Countless birds of every conceivable species perched on the branches, chattering and singing, raising their voices in competition.
"Qi Si Bird." Among them was a particular species, plump-bodied, heavy enough to make thick branches tremble. Swirling air currents surrounded the birds, and their calls rang out especially clear and bright.
"Tea Creek." Between the trees, a quiet stream meandered along. Its water was clear and tinged pale green, giving off a faint warmth, and the waterweeds growing within were all tea leaves.
…
A casual glance and Fang Yuan had already spotted numerous cultivation resources within the jungle.
He looked up at the sky. The heavens of this Cave Heaven carried a faint blue-green hue.
"So Black Fan obtained a fragment of the Ancient Azure Sky in ancient times. After integrating it into his own Immortal Orifice, it formed an Azure Sky that never faded." Fang Yuan's initial assessment was firm. This had to be the Black Fan Cave Heaven.
From Black City's memories, he knew that Black Fan had once gained renown in Treasure Yellow Heaven by cultivating and selling Qu Li Wood.
And the jungle spread before him now was almost entirely Qu Li Wood. The sheer scale was staggering.
Just as Fang Yuan was taking in his surroundings, the sound of bells suddenly rang across heaven and earth.
The bell tolls were melodious, ringing out ten times in succession.
Then, a great bronze bell materialized out of thin air directly before Fang Yuan.
"The Heavenly Spirit! There really is a Heavenly Spirit…" A flicker of tension passed through Fang Yuan's mind, and he grew alert.
After all, he was not truly of the Black family bloodline. Though he had successfully deceived the Supreme Sky Eagle, he still needed to fool the Heavenly Spirit before he could obtain the True Inheritance.
…
In the northeastern reaches of the Black Fan Cave Heaven, a towering mountain stood proud.
The locals called it Wanggu Mountain, and they held it in the highest reverence.
Atop the mountain sat a cave known as the Three Immortals Cave.
Within the cave, three Gu Immortals were locked in private discussion.
"Friends, if you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch the tiger's cub? If you wish to break free of this cage, you must face the risks involved." The Gu Immortal Feng Jun spoke with agitated intensity.
The other two Gu Immortals exchanged glances, their faces full of hesitation.
One of them, Gu Immortal Zheng Tuo, fixed his gaze on Feng Jun. "This matter is of tremendous gravity. The slightest misstep means death and the destruction of our Dao. How can we not be cautious?"
The other Gu Immortal, Zhou Min, was a woman. Her features were refined and delicate. "Brother Feng Jun, please be patient. Dealing with the Heavenly Spirit is extraordinarily difficult. We can take our time — there's no need to rush. Rest assured, the three of us swore our brotherhood as sworn siblings, and naturally we stand and fall together."
Feng Jun threw his head back with a heavy sigh. "The Heavenly Spirit isn't so terrifying. We've already earned its trust, and with the Blood Light Spirit Suppression Killing Move I've developed, I'm confident there's a very good chance of success!"
Zheng Tuo looked at Feng Jun. "Second Brother, I don't mean to criticize, but why are you in such a hurry? You yourself just said that Blood Light Spirit Suppression is something you've only recently developed. This Immortal-level Killing Move is still in its infancy — far from complete. Even if it were complete, we'd still need to drill with it extensively. Why the rush?"
"Exactly, Second Brother," Zhou Min added from the side. "To deal with the Heavenly Spirit, the three of us alone may not be enough. Why not try to persuade Old Immortal Chen Chi from the west? He has three Gu Immortals under his command as well."
Feng Jun let out a cold snort, contempt plain on his face. "Old Chen Chi — doddering and incompetent. He's on his last legs yet clings stubbornly to his old ways. He's not worth plotting with!"
He shook his head emphatically.
Zhou Min frowned, her slender eyebrows drawing together. "Even if Second Brother looks down on Old Immortal Chen Chi, his cultivation is still the highest among us. Even if we can't join forces with him against the Heavenly Spirit, we should at least ensure he stays out of it and doesn't oppose us."
"Third Sister speaks sense," Zheng Tuo echoed.
Feng Jun's expression turned dark. After a moment's deliberation, he finally spoke. "Friends, to be completely honest with you — you know I cultivate the Fortune Path. In recent days, I've felt a persistent sense of unease, as though something terrible is about to happen. I have an indescribable feeling — if we don't rise up and resist now, there may never be another chance!"
These words rested solely on Feng Jun's own intuition, without a shred of factual evidence. They might well have been dismissed as nonsense.
But the other two Immortals' faces grew solemn.
Zhou Min said, "Second Brother passed through Jixian Mountain and inherited the Fortune Path True Inheritance from that mountain. Although his cultivation hasn't reached the Seventh Transformation, as the first inheritor, his Dao Marks are no fewer than those of a Seventh Transformation Fortune Path Gu Immortal. I've heard that once a Gu Immortal's Dao Marks of a particular Path reach a certain threshold, it triggers a kind of mysterious transcendence."
Beside her, Zheng Tuo chimed in. "Indeed. If it's a Refinement Path Gu Immortal, their Gu refinement ability increases inexplicably, and they can perceive the most minute details during the refinement process. If it's a Fire Path Gu Immortal, they develop a mysterious intuition toward Fire Path Immortal Gu and desolate beasts. If it's a Wisdom Path Gu Immortal, their strategic thinking becomes formidable even without using a single Gu. And for a Fortune Path Gu Immortal, they develop an intuitive sense of the fortune surrounding themselves and their environment."