Heavenly Court.
The Star Constellation Chessboard hovered half a foot above the ground, slowly rotating between Purple Star Fairy and Feng Jin Huang, radiating brilliant starlight.
Tiny motes of starlight, dazzling and radiant, leaped about like blue fireflies, dancing around the two women before plunging into their minds.
The two women sat facing each other in meditation, eyes closed, brows tightly knit as they pondered some difficult problem.
The starlight slowly faded, and the Star Constellation Chessboard drifted down into Purple Star Fairy's hands.
Purple Star Fairy slowly opened her eyes, only to see Feng Jin Huang collapse to the ground, unconscious, her eyes still shut.
"This child..." Purple Star Fairy was not alarmed. She merely sighed.
She knew Feng Jin Huang's condition full well.
In the end, Feng Jin Huang was merely a Gu Master, not some Eighth Transformation powerhouse like Purple Star Fairy. The original calculation schedule that Purple Star Fairy had drawn up was perfectly suited to Feng Jin Huang's limits.
But Feng Jin Huang had insisted, unwilling to slow Purple Star Fairy down on her account. After all, Purple Star Fairy was a key figure in Heavenly Court.
When Feng Jin Huang slowly came to, she found herself no longer in the sealed calculation chamber but back in the Central Palace Hall.
"Huang'er, well done!" Duke Long looked at Feng Jin Huang with immense gratification. "You actually refined a perfected Pure Dream Body, eliminating all its flaws. You truly are the Great Dream Immortal Venerable that destiny has foretold."
Feng Jin Huang flushed with embarrassment at the praise. "Master, there was a reason for it. Do you recall the Shattered Dream killer move I developed not long ago? I used the results of that to refine the Pure Dream Body so smoothly. The entire process relied entirely on Lady Purple Star's calculations — I merely played a small supporting role."
Purple Star Fairy smiled. "Little Huang'er, you're far too humble. It was precisely because you provided the correct direction that our calculations bore fruit. Without that, even with repeated calculations, I would likely have come up empty."
Duke Long spoke with deep earnestness. "Huang'er, this perfected Pure Dream Body is of the utmost significance to you. It will be the key to your future achievements. You must seize this opportunity well. Remember — in the future, you must use the Pure Dream Body to ascend to immortality."
Feng Jin Huang had never seen Duke Long so solemn before, and she hurriedly nodded in agreement. "Yes, Master. I will absolutely keep this in mind."
Duke Long nodded. "You may go. Purple Star Fairy and I still have matters to discuss."
"Your disciple takes her leave." Feng Jin Huang obediently departed.
"This time, Huang'er's ability to obtain a perfected Pure Dream Body was largely thanks to you," Duke Long said to Purple Star Fairy.
It was the truth.
Purple Star Fairy had not only played the primary role in the calculations — she was even the one who had plundered the memories of Spectral Soul Demon Venerable to obtain the original Pure Dream Body formula.
Without that foundation, no matter how much inspiration or direction Feng Jin Huang possessed, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice.
Purple Star Fairy smiled. "It was my duty. Had you not captured Spectral Soul Demon Venerable alive, I would never have had the chance to search his soul. If anything, the true source of Little Huang'er's gratitude should be directed toward you, her master."
Duke Long shook his head slightly. "I'm ashamed. As a master, I've actually taught her very little. I know nothing of Dream Path — fortunately, Huang'er possesses extraordinary talent in it. To be able to do something for the future Great Dream Immortal Venerable is my honor as well. The Equal Treatment killer move — how has your practice with it been?"
Purple Star Fairy's expression turned grave. "The Benevolence Gu is fine. As for the killer move, I have successfully activated it several times."
"And you haven't noticed anything unusual?" Duke Long pressed.
Purple Star Fairy shook her head. "No."
Duke Long murmured thoughtfully. "In that case, the Equal Treatment killer move is working as intended. But then why haven't we seen its effects?"
"Precisely." Purple Star Fairy's brows furrowed slightly. "Using the Equal Treatment killer move against the Spring Autumn Cicada has been our plan for a long time. Looking at Fang Yuan's recent actions, every single one has been masterfully calculated and meticulously prepared — the struggle over the River of Time, the contest for Dragon Palace — he had the advantage in every instance. He must have used the Spring Autumn Cicada to be reborn again, so why does no one on our side possess memories from the previous life?"
The Equal Treatment killer move worked exactly as its name implied. Once Purple Star Fairy activated it, any change in the state of those she observed would simultaneously apply to everyone she had seen.
For example, if Purple Star Fairy activated the Equal Treatment killer move and then witnessed Fang Yuan being reborn, while also observing Duke Long — then when Fang Yuan detonated the Spring Autumn Must Succeed killer move, sending his memories back into his past body, Duke Long would receive the same treatment, his own memories pouring into his past self.
"We don't know what happened in Fang Yuan's previous life. Earlier, we theorized that without the Benevolence Gu, we wouldn't be able to form the Equal Treatment killer move. But now we clearly possess this ability."
"So did Fang Yuan change this outcome after his rebirth? In the previous life, we never formed the Equal Treatment killer move?"
"Or did I meet with some misfortune in the previous life and fail to activate the Equal Treatment killer move?"
Purple Star Fairy found herself in a quandary.
After Duke Long awakened and took stock of the situation, he had proposed using the Equal Treatment killer move to counter the Spring Autumn Cicada.
The Spring Autumn Cicada had been refined by his first disciple, Red Lotus Demon Venerable, and Duke Long knew well how to deal with this cicada.
As for the precise moment of Fang Yuan's rebirth, Purple Star Fairy had easily calculated it — it occurred during Heavenly Court's assault on Langya Blessed Land.
Fang Yuan before that point and Fang Yuan after that point operated with markedly different styles, and their success rates were worlds apart.