Fang Yuan's lunge was ferocious beyond measure, and he wielded the Ghost Dragon Sword, his demonic might vast and overwhelming.
Chen Yi gazed up at the sky, and seeing Fang Yuan's imposing momentum, he felt as though the heavens themselves were crushing down upon him. Every muscle in his body trembled involuntarily. There was nothing to block, nothing to evade!
"Then there's no need to block, and no need to evade." Chen Yi, at the end of his rope, smiled faintly and puffed out his chest, facing death with composure.
"Lord Chen Yi!" Bai Cangshui and the other Gu Immortals cried out, wanting to rush to his aid.
But Chi Qu You, Yi Hao Fang, and the others followed close behind Fang Yuan, striking in succession to block these reinforcements.
The enormous Ghost Dragon Sword whistled through the air, piercing clean through Chen Yi's body. Its remaining force unabated, it slammed into Mao Jiao Mountain.
In the next instant, Mao Jiao Mountain crumbled apart, and Chen Yi lost his life. His lifeless body drifted downward.
"Chen Yi is dead too!" The Gu Immortals of the Southern Border and Northern Plains were shaken to their core.
Fang Yuan had slain two Heavenly Court powerhouses in succession, his fearsome reputation now deeply etched into everyone's hearts.
However.
"Mao Jiao Mountain is gone, but the Inextinguishable Blessed Land hasn't been destroyed yet!" Fang Yuan frowned deeply, gazing down at the pile of rubble beneath his feet.
Heavenly Court had detected the exact location of the Inextinguishable Blessed Land, but for countless years had never been able to breach it, to the point where they had to resort to Human Path methods, borrowing the power of the Inextinguishable Blessed Land to extract successful Dao Marks.
Now, Fang Yuan in his urgency could not even harm the Inextinguishable Blessed Land, let alone destroy it.
Not long after Chen Yi's death, another Gu Immortal fell on the Heavenly Court battlefield.
Yuan Qiong Du!
He sat cross-legged on the ground and died with a smile.
With his death, the top of the Heaven Monitoring Tower began to overflow with an aura of completion and vitality.
"This is the aura of a Ninth Transformation Immortal Gu."
"Destiny Gu!!"
"Fellow Immortal Yuan Qiong Du has already sacrificed himself..."
"If that's the case?!"
The appearance of this aura caused the entire Heavenly Court battlefield to stall. The faces of the Changsheng Heaven side changed dramatically, while the Gu Immortals of Heavenly Court all had their eyes shining with brilliance, their faces full of joyous surprise.
"Damn it! Have we failed?" Bing Sai Chuan gritted his teeth. "Retreat!"
The Seven Extremes Desolation was left behind, while the Calamity Fate Altar began to withdraw.
"What's going on? Why do I feel a sense of emptiness?" On the Inextinguishable Blessed Land battlefield, Fang Yuan suddenly sensed something.
"Hahahaha!" Dragon Duke laughed heartily, making no move to stop the Calamity Fate Altar.
He entered the Heaven Monitoring Tower and ascended to the top.
"Destiny Gu, Destiny Gu..." Dragon Duke murmured, tears streaming from his eyes.
He was too joyful, too excited.
With his own eyes, he beheld the complete Destiny Gu right before him!
How many years of anticipation and longing, how many years of daydreaming, and finally in this moment, it had come true!
For Dragon Duke, the significance of restoring Destiny Gu was far greater and more complex than for any other member of Heavenly Court.
Because it was none other than the disciple he had personally trained who had damaged Destiny Gu in the first place!
"Hong Ting, the terrible mistake you made — your master has finally made amends for you. I have not failed Heavenly Court, I have not failed the Human Path! Hahaha, hahahaha!"
Dragon Duke's resonant voice immediately spread from the Heaven Monitoring Tower across all of Heavenly Court — "Over a million years! Our Heavenly Court has finally once again gained control of the complete Ninth Transformation Destiny Gu!"
Whoosh!
In the next moment, the Gu Immortals of Heavenly Court surged with fervor, cheering in unison. Some were so exhilarated their faces flushed red, some shed tears, and some passed away at the end of their natural lifespans with smiles of utter satisfaction.
Heavenly Court's morale skyrocketed to its peak, while on the Changsheng Heaven side, Bing Sai Chuan and the others all had ashen faces as they hastened their retreat.
The grand situation was decided!
There was nothing more to be done!
When Changsheng Heaven invaded Heavenly Court, they were fierce and resolute; when they retreated, they were equally decisive.
Over three million years ago.
Central Continent, Breath Peak.
This peak was not a mountain — or more accurately, it was merely a hilltop.
The peak contained dense Breath Path Dao Marks, with wondrous properties. It could autonomously spew mist, breathing in and out like a living being.
Every few decades or centuries, it would fly away, relocating elsewhere to continue its breathing cycle, over and over again.
There were not many Breath Peaks, and most had owners. This one was no exception.
Its owner was none other than Primal Beginning Immortal Venerable, though at this time he was merely a Seventh Transformation Gu Immortal.
Gu Immortal Yuan Shi cultivated within Breath Peak, using its breathing abilities to comprehend the exquisite wonders of the Breath Path.
On this day, he suddenly opened his eyes slowly within his secret cave.