Brilliant light and shadow slowly faded in the stone chamber. Feng Jinhuang took a deep breath, her phoenix eyes bright and unwavering as she stared at what lay before her.
At this moment, before her hovered a ball of light resembling a cocoon, roughly the size of a millstone, suspended silently in midair.
"The final step." Feng Jinhuang took another deep breath, then suddenly began moving the fingers of both hands.
In that instant, her ten fingers danced like a blossoming lotus, infinitely colored lights flickering and flashing, illuminating the entire stone chamber with a brilliant, pulsing glow!
Feng Jinhuang's technique was so masterful that even a Refinement Path Grandmaster would have worn a solemn expression upon seeing it.
By this point, Feng Jinhuang had long since become a Refinement Path Supreme Grandmaster, so it was hardly surprising that she possessed such exquisite Gu-refining techniques.
Feng Jinhuang employed the Gold-Fire Dual-Stream Refinement method, having already found the refinement approach that suited her best.
Boom!
A moment later, with a thunderous crack, the cocoon didn't self-destruct — instead, it contracted sharply. The originally pristine white surface gradually transformed into a deep, dark blue, while the cocoon itself grew harder, taking on a metallic sheen.
"Failed several times, but it's finally refined!" A gleam of joy flashed through Feng Jinhuang's eyes, though her heart remained calm — the bearing of a Refinement Path powerhouse was already beginning to show.
The Fifth Transformation Gu Insect had been refined, but subsequent processing with proper techniques was still required.
Feng Jinhuang opened her small mouth and carefully blew out wisps of cool, gentle breeze. Under the breeze's touch, the dark blue cocoon trembled slightly, letting out a hissing sound as copious amounts of steam rose from it, quickly filling the entire stone chamber with hot, humid mist.
Using the Gold-Fire Dual-Stream Refinement method inevitably produced this kind of aftereffect — the temperature inside the Gu Insect would rise too high. If it wasn't cooled in time, it wouldn't die, but the Gu Insect would be severely damaged and rendered difficult to use.
Gu Refinement was a vast and profound art with countless methods. Every approach to refining Gu had its own advantages and drawbacks. Had she used the ice-refinement method to create this Gu Insect, there would have been no need for cooling afterward — instead, it would have needed to soak in a hot spring for a period of time to be nurtured.
Feng Jinhuang withdrew all her techniques, stepped off the meditation cushion, and stood up. The Fifth Transformation Gu drifted quietly into her hand. She focused her mind and activated it, and her stern face cracked open like ice breaking to reveal spring flowers, blooming into a dazzling, breathtaking smile.
She immediately left the secret chamber and stepped outside. The moment she opened the door, the thunderous roar of a waterfall, the chirping of birds, and the rustling of leaves stirred by the wind all rushed into her ears. The profound silence of the seclusion chamber was far behind her, and the world came alive once more.
The mountains were lush and green, birds sang among fragrant flowers, and sunlight bathed everything in gentle warmth — a scene of perfect peace. Feng Jinhuang cast her gaze around and, just as expected, saw Long Gong sitting cross-legged on a massive boulder by the pool, silent as stone.
Mountain light delighted the birds' spirits, and the pool's reflection emptied the human heart.
"Master, Master, look! I've refined the Dream Pillow Gu!" Feng Jinhuang ran up to Long Gong, holding up the newly refined Fifth Transformation Gu in her hand and beaming proudly.
Long Gong slowly opened his eyes. His gaze swept briefly over the Dream Pillow Gu, he gave a slight nod, and said in a measured tone: "Not bad, not bad."
Feng Jinhuang pouted slightly: "More than just 'not bad'? Master, you don't know — I failed several times trying to refine this Gu Insect before finally succeeding. With this Dream Pillow Gu, even an ordinary mortal Gu Master only needs to rest their head on it to fall asleep and enter the realm of dreams. This is of tremendous benefit to our Spirit Affinity Hall, and to the entire Central Continent."
Ever since taking Long Gong as her master, Feng Jinhuang had devoted herself diligently to cultivation. Long Gong hadn't offered her any specific guidance on cultivation itself; instead, he had instilled in her an understanding of the world's affairs, taught her to analyze the broader landscape, and elevated her vision and insight. Thanks to his careful tutelage, Feng Jinhuang was a far cry from who she had been before, now possessing a strategic perspective and the ability to consider matters from the broadest vantage point.
"The Dream Pillow Gu that Feng Jiuge refined appears ordinary, but precisely because it is a mortal Gu, it can benefit a vast number of Gu Masters. As long as we refine this Gu in large quantities going forward, the Gu Masters of the Central Continent will be able to enter their own dreams more easily, excavate Dream Path Gu materials, and seize the advantage in the coming great era. One could say this is a Gu that could elevate the strategic advantage of an entire continent — its significance is enormous, no small matter!"
But Long Gong showed not the slightest surprise: "You've accomplished this, and such achievements are only natural. Huan'er, you are the future Great Dream Immortal Venerable..."
Before Long Gong could finish, Feng Jinhuang interrupted him, a hint of defiance in her expression: "Alright, alright, you're going on about that again. Does that mean everything I've achieved is only because I'm the future Great Dream Immortal Venerable?"
Long Gong smiled faintly, fixed his gaze intently on Feng Jinhuang, then abruptly changed the subject: "Huan'er, do you believe in fate?"
Feng Jinhuang furrowed her brow: "Master, are you talking about the Fate Gu?"
Long Gong nodded: "That's right — the Fate Gu recorded in the Human Ancestor Legend, and also the Fate Gu that our Heavenly Court is about to restore."
The Human Ancestor Legend recounted how the Human Ancestor had expended tremendous effort, gathered Gu materials, and even sacrificed his own hands, finally managing to refine the Wealth Gu. He then brought his son Yan Huang Lei Ze and his daughter Wan Jin Miao Hua to the land where the Feathered Folk lived once more.
But strangely, all the Feathered Folk had vanished without a trace.
"What happened here?" the Human Ancestor wondered.
"That's because I came here — the Feathered Folk were all afraid of me, so they ran away." A black-and-white spider ambled leisurely into view, appearing before the Human Ancestor.
"Who are you?" the Human Ancestor asked.
The spider laughed: "Human, you walked the path I carved through the Gate of Life and Death, and still you don't know who I am? I am the Fate Gu."
Wan Jin Miao Hua then asked: "Fate Gu, you're not even as big as my palm — why would the Feathered Folk be afraid of you?"
The Fate Gu laughed: "Because they all seek freedom, while I, Fate, must bind them and hold them back."
Yan Huang Lei Ze complained: "So your plan is the same as ours. What a failure — you haven't even caught a single Feathered Folk, and you've dragged us into it."
The Fate Gu laughed heartily: "Who says I've failed? These Feathered Folk all pursue freedom, but what do they really know? Their successful escape is nothing but a shallow appearance — in truth, I bound them long ago. The path they took to seek freedom was arranged by me, yet they believe they've succeeded, knowing nothing at all. You are the same — look at yourselves."
The Human Ancestor, Yan Huang Lei Ze, and Wan Jin Miao Hua looked at their own bodies. They discovered that at some point, their hands, feet, and bodies had all become entangled with pale white spider silk. They also found that it wasn't just the three of them — even the surrounding flowers, grass, trees, rocks, and streams were all connected by strands of spider silk. These strands gathered one by one to form a vast spider web that spread outward beyond their field of vision.
"This is the web I have woven, called the Myriad Net. All things under heaven exist within this web, subject to my — Fate's — arrangement and control. Every person you encounter, every event that transpires — all are orchestrated by me." The Fate Gu spoke.
A chill seized the hearts of the three as they struggled desperately.
The Fate Gu merely laughed: "It's useless. You cannot break free. Fate cannot be changed."