South Border, the super Gu formation.
Ba Quanfeng gazed toward the Wu Family's direction and said, unwillingly: "What's going on? This Wu Yihai is actually this patient — just staying here in secluded cultivation, never leaving?"
He found it somewhat incredible.
The Wu Family had always been domineering in their conduct, picking fights every other day.
As Wu Yong's half-brother through their shared mother, Wu Yihai held a rather high position in the current Wu Family. Yet he had quietly chosen secluded cultivation, maintaining minimal contact with other Gu Immortals on a daily basis.
Ba De slowly shook his head.
He said in a deep voice: "From the looks of it, this Wu Yihai is no simple character."
"He may even be far harder to deal with than that Seventh Transformation from the Wu Family who was transferred away earlier."
Ba Quanfeng laughed: "How is that possible? He's nothing more than a loose cultivator from the Eastern Sea."
Tree Elder Ba De looked at Ba Quanfeng: "If he were just an ordinary loose cultivator, how could he have managed the Immortal Dream business so brilliantly? Even if we used this matter to cause trouble, we wouldn't be able to touch Wu Yihai."
"These past days, we've prepared quite a few moves, but this person refused to engage with any of them. Facing such provocations, he simply endured them all in silence. This kind of person is even more dangerous than the other Gu Immortals of the Wu Family."
Ba Quanfeng's expression finally shifted. He took a deep breath: "Even Tree Elder thinks so of him — it seems this person truly has extraordinary qualities. Why don't we take action, sabotage this Immortal Dream business, and force him to make a move?"
Ba De slowly shook his head: "Impossible. He absolutely will not make a move. If we expose this matter, we'd occupy the moral high ground. The Immortal Dream business would certainly collapse. But it wouldn't harm Wu Yihai in the slightest. On the contrary, we'd offend six or seven other families, drawing all their hatred toward us. At that point, Wu Yihai would reap the benefits — unite them, and the political force they form would be even more tightly consolidated."
Ba Quanfeng's eyes widened as he exclaimed: "Then what should we do?"
"Wait."
"Wait?"
"Wait for an opportunity." Tree Elder Ba De spoke slowly. "The opportunities we create ourselves are limited in scope and won't have a noticeable effect. We can only wait — wait for a better opportunity to appear."
Ba Quanfeng gritted his teeth: "Wouldn't that mean we just sit here and watch the Wu Family ride over us? Waiting for an opportunity — how long will that take? It could very well be endless, My Lord."
Tree Elder Ba De's expression turned cold. He said nothing more, simply staring at Ba Quanfeng in silence.
Under that gaze, Ba Quanfeng felt an incomparably immense pressure.
He stumbled back three steps. Lowering his brow and head, drenched in cold sweat: "My Lord, I, I…"
"You're too impatient, Xiao Feng. Your mindset has been off these past few days," Ba De said leisurely.
"Yes, yes, My Lord. Xiao Feng was wrong." Ba Quanfeng obediently admitted his mistake, wearing a sincere expression.
"The Wu Family did lose an Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal. But the Wu Family remains a vast and powerful clan. The other families are all eyeing the Wu Family, yet none dares to make the first move. Because we've never been able to properly assess the Wu Family's true strength. If our Ba Family jumps out first and takes the Wu Family's iron-fisted counterattack, we'll be the ones who suffer, while the other families reap the benefits. Do you understand?"
"Yes, My Lord. Xiao Feng will remember these words firmly in his heart."
"I'm confining you to quarters. Since Wu Yihai won't come out, there's no need for you to be wandering around," Ba De said expressionlessly.
"Yes, My Lord." Ba Quanfeng's face was bitter as he bowed and accepted the order, slowly retreating.
Meanwhile, Fang Yuan was still wandering through the dream realm.
The Gu Immortals in the outside world all believed he was in secluded cultivation. The majority felt this was simply the habit of a loose cultivator from the Eastern Sea that he hadn't yet adjusted from. Loose cultivators and hermit cultivators all enjoyed secluded cultivation.
The smaller minority, such as Ba De, believed this was something Fang Yuan had deliberately arranged in response to their political maneuvering.
No one imagined that Fang Yuan was secretly exploring the dream realm!
Inside the dream realm, things had reached a critical moment.
Young Master Dragon had already gained a clear upper hand in the battle. He laughed heartily at Fang Yuan: "You have no chance left, no hope of victory whatsoever. Surrender now, and you can still preserve your dignity."
Fang Yuan was covered in wounds, panting heavily, teeth clenched, saying nothing.
This dream had already reached its seventh act.
Fang Yuan's cultivation level within the dream had also risen to the Fifth Transformation stage.
But Young Master Dragon's cultivation was a notch above his — at Peak Fifth Transformation.
Not only that, Young Master Dragon possessed numerous excellent Gu insects, and his Dragon race physiology — whether the protective capability of his dragon scales or the recovery ability of his dragon blood — could rival that of an ordinary Fifth Transformation Gu Master.
This advantage was simply too great!
In terms of cultivation, Gu insects, and his own human body constitution, Fang Yuan was thoroughly outclassed by Young Master Dragon.
That the battle had lasted this long was already enough to astonish the spectators within the dream realm.
In their eyes, while Fang Yuan's fighting spirit was commendable and praiseworthy, the outcome of this battle had already been sealed.
"Right now, you have less than half your True Essence remaining. Let me see what you'll use to withstand my attack!" Young Master Dragon roared, charging toward Fang Yuan.
Though battered and disheveled, Fang Yuan's gaze remained clear, his mind constantly calculating the time.
Through his previous failed explorations, he already knew that this act of the dream didn't require him to defeat Young Master Dragon — only to stall, to drag things out for enough time.
Once enough time had passed, a change would occur.
"Seven breaths remaining. This time, I have to go all out. Immortal Path killer move — Dream Decipher!" Fang Yuan shouted inwardly.
Crack.
The fierce, imposing Young Master Dragon had been striding forward, charging at Fang Yuan, when he suddenly tripped over a stone on the ground and fell flat on his face.
The entire arena fell into sudden silence.
The female Gu Masters who had been cheering and shouting for Young Master Dragon since the battle began all fell silent as well.
"How could I make such a mistake?!" Young Master Dragon's face, normally as handsome as jade, was now flushed crimson with mortification and rage.
He scrambled to his feet, let out a cry, and charged at Fang Yuan once more.
Fang Yuan could barely keep himself upright. His injuries were truly too severe.
This was practically waiting for death. The arena erupted in noise once more, with countless people cheering and rallying for Young Master Dragon.