Fang Anlei was struck by the purple tongue sword and immediately turned as rigid as stone, utterly motionless. A strange purple hue rapidly flooded across her face.
The purple tongue sword had pierced through her body, yet it moved with astonishing agility. It changed direction, curved its form, and lunged back toward Fang Yuan.
But by now, Fang Yun and Fang Leng had recovered. They hastily activated their Immortal Gu Houses, generating brilliant light from within that suppressed the purple tongue sword, slowing its movements.
Vines extended outward, wrapping around Fang Anlei's body. A rich floral fragrance assailed the nostrils as colorful, vibrant blossoms sprouted forth, their petals pressing flush against her skin. Streams of luminescence flowed along the vines and into Fang Anlei's body, providing emergency healing.
Fang Yuan wore an expression of solemn gravity, cold indifference hidden deep in his eyes, his mind churning with ceaseless calculations.
The Fang family reinforcements had arrived. Present now were three Immortal Gu Houses — Falling Petal Pavilion, Rooster Cage and Dog Kennel, and Wenjin Dock. These three Immortal Gu Houses could combine to form the battlefield killer move Peach Blossom Bewildering Forest, whose power was exquisite and extraordinarily formidable.
In Fang Yuan's previous life five hundred years ago, this very technique had showcased its brilliance during the chaotic wars of the five regions, intimidating all sides. Intelligence recorded within the Shadow Sect's true inheritance had also highlighted this particular point, urging extreme caution.
After prolonged combat, Fang Yuan had already noticed that this Bean God Palace held peculiarities.
The earlier moment when Qing Chou had smashed open the palace doors with a full-force assault had only deepened his understanding of certain truths.
The entity piloting this Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House appeared to be an ancient soul beast! Moreover, it knew only how to charge recklessly, unable to unleash the profound and subtle powers of an Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House.
An Immortal Gu House excelled in both offense and defense. A direct charge was undoubtedly the most straightforward, most time-efficient approach. Yet each Immortal Gu House possessed its own unique and marvelous abilities — Falling Petal Pavilion, for instance, boasted killer moves like Mirror Flower, Fleeting Ephemera, and Orchid in the Empty Valley. Meanwhile, the Hei family's Black Prison Immortal Gu House housed a particular ability: the storage and enslavement of ancient desolate beasts.
The Hei family of the Northern Plains was weakened and declining, naturally incomparable to the Fang family, one of the supreme powers of the Western Desert.
This revealed that there existed rankings even among Immortal Gu Houses. An Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House that could not employ its own special abilities, relying solely on brute-force charges, was certainly no match for the Fang family's three Immortal Gu Houses.
But if the Fang family prevailed — if they suppressed this Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House and even subjugated it — what benefit would there be for Fang Yuan?
According to the alliance they had established, Fang Yuan would receive no more than a single Sixth Transformation Immortal Gu and a collection of immortal materials.
It was even more likely that once the Fang family conquered the Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House, they would wield the combined might of four Immortal Gu Houses to press Fang Yuan, forcing him into restrictive alliances!
Moreover, given the current situation — with the Immortal Gu Houses right before his eyes — how could Fang Yuan not entertain thoughts of fishing in troubled waters?
To fish in troubled waters, he would need to balance the strength of both sides. So Fang Yuan devised a plan: use the purple tongue sword to weaken the Fang family's forces, dealing with Fang Anlei first.
According to the alliance, Fang Yuan and the Fang family were not supposed to scheme against each other.
But in practice, the relevant clauses of the alliance were vague and broad, quite loose in their wording.
Therefore, this time Fang Yuan had plotted against Fang Anlei, and suffered absolutely no consequences!
Did Fang Anlei not know about this flaw?
Of course she did!
The truth of the matter was that the Fang family harbored treacherous intentions of their own.
Fang Anlei had originally harbored plans to use Fang Yuan — the collection of Impermanent Stones, for instance, was nothing more than exploiting him, scheming against him.
So Fang Anlei had schemed first. If she had insisted on including a clause prohibiting mutual plots within the alliance, she would have been tying her own hands first!
That was why Fang Anlei had deliberately kept the language vague, imposing no restrictions on this front. And given the extreme urgency of the situation at the time, even if Fang Yuan had noticed and raised objections, she could have deflected with that very excuse.
Fang Yuan had noticed, of course!
But cunning as he was, he too had begun to scheme. He filed the observation away and played the fool.
As the fierce battle rapidly escalated, in the end it was not Fang Anlei who plotted against Fang Yuan — it was Fang Yuan who outmaneuvered Fang Anlei.
"How dare you!"
"Beast — you deserve death!!"
Angry roars from the Fang family Gu Immortals erupted from within the two Immortal Gu Houses the moment they learned of Fang Anlei's injuries.
Rooster Cage and Dog Kennel and Wenjin Dock shot through the sky like meteors chasing the moon, plunging straight into the battlefield.
But before they could act, the Bean God Palace blazed with radiance.
Having exhausted every ounce of power and failed to kill Fang Yuan, Qing Chou had weakened to the extreme, completely suppressed by the Bean God Palace.
The Bean God Palace operated on its own, its azure light spreading across the battlefield. With a single breath of exertion, it swept the unconscious Defeated Army Old Ghost, the deathly pale Eagle Maiden, and all remaining soul beasts within, then soared skyward.
It had retreated outright!
This scene took nearly everyone by surprise.
Even Fang Yuan was somewhat taken aback — this was contrary to the opponent's usual behavior.
The Bean God Palace's flight speed was astonishingly fast. The Fang family Gu Immortals hesitated for a moment; the Rooster Cage and Dog Kennel Immortal Gu House remained behind while Wenjin Dock sliced across the sky in pursuit.
The Rooster Cage and Dog Kennel Immortal Gu House had an unusual appearance, resembling two pavilions built shoulder to shoulder. The left building was entirely bright yellow, with a circular plaque beneath the eaves bearing a single large character: "Rooster." The right building was vermillion red, its circular plaque inscribed with the character: "Dog."