The Qi family Gu Immortals were united in their resolve, anxious and fearful yet mustering their courage to fight desperately against Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan frowned. He discovered that his will could not be endlessly infused inward—once it reached a certain threshold, no more could be channeled in.
Furthermore, once his will was projected in, his true body could only watch from the sidelines, letting the will fight independently. As a result, a vast array of Wisdom Path methods were completely useless here.
The Heavenly Aspect killing move was a full Ninth Transformation technique, while Fang Yuan's various Wisdom Path methods topped out at Eighth Transformation at most. Even if they posed some threat to the Heavenly Aspect killing move, Fang Yuan was unwilling to use them, because once they triggered a counterattack from the Heavenly Aspect killing move, things would go terribly wrong. And even without a counterattack, if he damaged the Heavenly Aspect killing move, his greatest prize from this expedition would be utterly ruined.
The Qi family Gu Immortals needed the Heavenly Aspect killing move to deal with Fang Yuan and protect themselves. Fang Yuan equally craved obtaining the Heavenly Aspect killing move, because he needed an explosive surge in strength to overcome the obstructions the Heavenly Court had placed in the River of Time.
Thus, both sides could only rely on the most fundamental clashes of will.
In this regard, Fang Yuan's foundation was quite solid. Ever since he had suffered a bitter loss at Mo Yao's hands through deception, he had trained vigorously in this area, not only compensating for that shortcoming but now turning it into an advantage.
None of the Qi family Gu Immortals were a match for Fang Yuan on their own, but their advantage lay in their numbers—they commanded far more willpower, while at Fang Yuan's side only Bai Ningbing supported him.
Time流逝ed, and the advantage Fang Yuan held grew ever larger, yet he could not convert that advantage into outright victory. The Qi family Gu Immortals blocking him fought with stubborn tenacity, performing far beyond expectations.
In truth, another concern lingered in Fang Yuan's heart—Bai Ningbing.
Bai Ningbing had betrayed them once before. That was an uncertain factor.
Fortunately, the topmost Heavenly Will Fortress had remained solid and unshaken all along, showing no signs of wobbling no matter how fiercely the Qi family wills battered against it.
Fang Yuan's thoughts grew heavier. At this rate, even if he broke through the blockade and utterly destroyed the willpower the Qi family had left here, he would likely be a spent arrow with no strength remaining to deal with the Heavenly Will entrenched in the core.
Another collision—the Qi family wills recoiled in defeat, and Fang Yuan's will surged forward like a flood dragon, coiling its body around and wrapping its jaws to engulf a massive portion of the Qi family will.
The Qi family wills were horrified. If Fang Yuan destroyed the willpower they had lost, their situation would become dire beyond recovery, and they would never be able to stop his breakthrough again.
So the recently scattered wills hastily reformed and lunged at Fang Yuan.
"Bai Ningbing, go block them," Fang Yuan commanded swiftly.
Bai Ningbing's will, resembling a fortress wall forged from solid ice, thrust in at an angle—but instead of resisting the Qi family wills, it suddenly turned and attacked Fang Yuan!
The Qi family wills were stunned. At this critical juncture, Bai Ningbing had switched sides once more!
Fang Yuan's will was caught completely off guard by this assault from Bai Ningbing and seethed with fury.
The Qi family wills observed for a moment, then transformed their shock into delight and attacked Fang Yuan from another direction.
Fang Yuan's will rapidly diminished, forcing him to expel the Qi family willpower he had just swallowed.
"Bai Ningbing, you traitor—I will never spare you!" Fang Yuan's will roared, but the tide of defeat had already turned. He could only lead his battered remnants and flee downward.
"Fang Yuan, with your temperament, after you obtain the Heavenly Aspect killing move, would you refrain from coming after me? I am a descendant of the White Aspect—the Heavenly Aspect killing move is my destiny! Hahaha!" Bai Ningbing's will laughed wildly. "What a perfect opportunity! Defeating you here will make my entire life shine brilliantly."
Bai Ningbing's will had no intention of letting Fang Yuan's will escape and pursued relentlessly.
Fang Yuan's will could only flee, retreating all the way.
"What are you lot standing around watching for? Get over here and help!" Bai Ningbing's will roared at the Qi family wills.
The Qi family wills were also badly diminished. Qi Fa's will considered for a moment, then shouted: "Don't move—it might be a trap. Let them dogs bite dogs."
Fang Yuan's will had been ambushed so devastatingly by Bai Ningbing's betrayal that its scale was far smaller than hers. In the end, it was encircled by her will, unable to break free, dwindling with every clash until it was utterly annihilated.
"I didn't expect that this time, it would be the demon Fang Yuan who fell first!"
"You guard against enemies by day and night, but a traitor within the family is hardest to guard against."
"Hahaha, this is precisely the moment for our Qi family's rise—a heaven-sent opportunity. Let's move! We can't let Bai Ningbing's will survive either!"
The Qi family wills surged forward once more. Bai Ningbing's will resisted stubbornly, but one pair of fists could not beat four hands. In the end, she was completely annihilated.
"We did it!"
"The Heavenly Aspect is ours!!"
The Qi family wills were immersed in wild ecstasy. With no enemies remaining, their wills converged into one and launched a final assault upon the Heavenly Will Fortress.
BOOM!
Without warning, the Heavenly Will Fortress erupted in an explosion. A torrent of Heavenly Will burst forth like a caged beast set free, tearing apart the Qi family wills.