The bearded Gu Master wouldn't understand Fang Yuan's feelings.
Having transmigrated from Earth, the wondrous abilities of Gu Masters felt like superpowers. Of course Fang Yuan was excited and full of enthusiasm upon ascending from an ordinary person to a superhuman.
"And besides, my aptitude isn't great, only Grade C. If I don't work harder, how can I make it?" the young Fang Yuan said with a grin.
"Uncle, you go about your business. I'll continue practicing," Fang Yuan added.
The bearded Gu Master smiled and shook his head, then tactfully left.
Standing at a distance, he looked back at Fang Yuan, who was frowning in focused practice. A hint of desolation appeared in his gaze. He murmured, "Even if he works this hard, what's the point? Grade C aptitude... The cold, cruel reality will come crashing in. The gap will extinguish his passion, and setbacks will dissipate his excitement. How long can this enthusiasm, this effort, possibly last?"
Meanwhile, in another corner of the dream, the real Fang Yuan stroked the tree that had nearly been cleaved by moonlight.
"Hmm, not bad. This dream-path Gu material is quite good. If I'm lucky, it should be enough for me to refine a dozen or so mortal dream-path Gu."
A satisfied smile touched the corner of his lips. In the depths of his black, fathomless eyes, a faint light flickered, like starlight.
Bai Xiang Grotto-Heaven.
The Everyone Like a Dragon Gu Refining Method had reached its final critical stage.
"Hold on! You absolutely cannot relax even a fraction. Master, you can do it, you definitely can!" Bai Xiang Tian Ling roared.
The Gu formation was operating, its radiance like pillars, holding up the earth and the sky.
At the center of the blinding light, there was a humanoid torch.
It was Bai Ningbing!
Her entire face, her entire body, was melting, like wax under heat, becoming a formless, congealed mass.
Her hair had long since been burned away, her eyes were already blind, looking like glass beads. Even her fingers and toes had melted together.
Bai Ningbing was unrecognizable.
Intense pain. For the past several dozen days, it had never stopped!
At first, she screamed in agony, howled at the heavens, and nearly passed out.
But after that, she managed to endure, barely surviving one danger after another. Then she simply forced her way through, grinding her teeth and holding on.
Then, all her teeth and her tongue were scorched by the Heavenly Surging Dragon Fire and melted together.
She laughed.
A hideous laugh.
Then, she couldn't even manage the expression of a laugh anymore, because her nose bridge, her entire face, was burned, melting like wax.
Now, she was like a limbless human stake. A sight too terrible to behold.
But Bai Xiang Tian Ling could feel Bai Ningbing's will.
Her will. It was like steel, subjected to the burning of flames and the hammering of pain, growing ever stronger and harder.
This willpower even moved Bai Xiang Tian Ling!
In the beginning, even Bai Xiang Tian Ling hadn't held out much hope for Bai Ningbing.
Because Bai Ningbing's condition was simply too dire. And the Everyone Like a Dragon Gu Refining Method was exceptionally perilous. Gu refinement always inevitably involved failure. In history, which Gu Master or Gu Immortal who had transformed into a dragon-person hadn't prepared extensively, been supremely cautious, and reached the absolute peak of readiness before daring such an endeavor!
BOOM!
A colossal sound, like thunder exploding.
The sky-piercing light vanished abruptly. A surging mass of flame soared upwards.
It was shaped like a fire dragon, its scarlet body incredibly agile. After circling once in midair, it turned and plunged straight toward Bai Ningbing.
Bai Ningbing had already been burned into a flesh ball. Her bones, flesh, Dao Marks, vital essence, skin, and hair had all fused together into one mass.
The flesh ball seemed to be a bottomless pit, absorbing the fire dragon charging into it completely.
Subsequently, the flesh ball grew redder and redder, its temperature climbing ever higher, scorching its surroundings and causing the nearby air to warp and twist.
When the flesh ball reached the deepest shade of crimson, it suddenly exploded. Amidst a dazzling burst of light, the brand-new Bai Ningbing made her spectacular debut.
"S-succeeded!!" Bai Xiang Tian Ling's eyes widened as she murmured.
Bathed in the radiance, Bai Ningbing raised her head and let out a long, piercing cry!
She declared: "Mountains stretch ten thousand li, abysses nine fathoms deep. Dragons coil at the well's bottom, amidst loaches and mussels. Today, with a shake of the beard, clouds suddenly rise. They lift their heads to soar, transcending the ethereal!"
Her cry was like a dragon's long roar, or rolling wind, echoing throughout the entire Bai Xiang Grotto-Heaven.
Bai Xiang Tian Ling was overcome with admiration, dropping to her knees on the spot: "Congratulations, Master, on your rebirth and ascension to the Immortal rank!"
Bai Ningbing stopped her cry and slowly descended.
Her expression was impassive, her skin like snow, her features even more refined than before, her beauty surpassing her former self by a full three degrees!
A pair of pale blue, vertical dragon pupils emitted an aura of frigid coldness.