"Capture him!"
"Don't let him escape!!"
The grand arena of the Central Continent Gu Refinement Conference had descended into utter chaos.
Several Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals plunged downward in unison.
Shen Shang's face was deathly pale. His attempt to break through a Venerable's methods had failed, instead leaving him gravely wounded. Yet even as the Central Continent's Eighth Transformation experts dove toward him, he sneered: "You think you lot can catch me?"
In the next instant, his figure flickered and vanished without a trace.
The Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals of Central Continent swooped down to empty air. They immediately deployed various detection killer moves, but failed to pick up even a trace of a clue.
"Where did he go?"
"Just who is he, to be able to enter and leave Emperor City freely?!"
"This place is constantly enveloped by the Myriad As One killer move. Even so, he managed to sneak in."
"The Five Regions are vast indeed — hidden dragons and crouching tigers are everywhere."
The Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals exchanged lightning-fast communications, deliberated briefly, then split up and continued their search.
They would tear Emperor City apart if they had to. Even if they had to raze it to the ground, they would find Shen Shang.
Shen Shang had already hidden himself in some corner of Emperor City, far from the final arena.
He panted heavily, yet the fighting spirit in his eyes refused to die — instead, like oil thrown on a flame, it burned ever brighter!
"A Venerable is a Venerable after all. Their methods exceeded my expectations," he sighed inwardly, then immediately sent another message to Fang Yuan.
"Fang Yuan, hold on! Give me a little more time, and I will definitely break this move!" Shen Shang's tone was resolute.
Fang Yuan sneered: "How can I trust you?"
Shen Shang explained: "I've already investigated thoroughly. The various Human Path killer moves employed by the Heavenly Court Venerable are built upon an enormous foundation of human will. Without that foundation, even the most powerful Human Path killer move is a skilled cook without rice — there's nothing to fear."
Fang Yuan countered: "But the Heavenly Will is stored within Heavenly Court. We can't reach it from here — there's simply no way to strike at it."
Shen Shang chuckled softly: "Precisely because of that, I've devised another method. Instead of reducing or destroying the human will, I will amplify it."
Fang Yuan's interest was immediately piqued. "Tell me more."
Shen Shang continued: "What Heavenly Court collects is the human will of Central Continent. That's why the Myriad As One move can distinguish friend from foe. But if I were to inject the human will of the other four regions into it, how could there be any unity? The Central Continent Gu Immortals in Heavenly Court receive their boost from the Hero Among Men killer move precisely because of Central Continent's human will. If the human will of all five regions were present, the Hero Among Men move would affect us as well."
Fang Yuan pressed further: "Then how do you plan to accomplish this — how will you funnel the human will of the other four regions in?"
Shen Shang answered with composure: "On one hand, I've already made preparations within Emperor City. On the other hand, the barriers between the Five Regions are nearly gone. The Five Regions are not only unified in their earth veins — their human veins are becoming interconnected as well. In a sense, we should even thank Heavenly Court's propaganda. Everyone in the Five Regions now knows that the Central Continent Gu Refinement Conference is being held. The human will of all five regions is actually converging here — it's just that Heavenly Court has only been collecting a portion of it."
Fang Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said abruptly: "Then do it. I can't possibly hold every battlefield. All I can do is buy you time. You need to seize every second!"
"Of course." Shen Shang's response came without the slightest hesitation.
The Emperor City battlefield.
"Kill!" The Gu Immortals of Battle Immortal Sect shouted in unison.
Under their control, the Immortal Gu House Corner Linking Camp suddenly surged forward with explosive speed, charging toward the Western Desert's House Fang's Inquiry Dock.
Inquiry Dock retreated rapidly.
Blinding light suddenly erupted from Corner Linking Camp, condensing into a colossal horn that pierced the sky.
It was Corner Linking Camp's killer move — Giant Horn Charge.
Under normal circumstances, Inquiry Dock would not have feared such an attack. But now, boosted by the Human Path killer move Hero Among Men, the power of Giant Horn Charge had doubled!
Inquiry Dock was merely an Information Path Immortal Gu House — it could not withstand such a ferocious assault on its own.
Falling Blossom Pavilion rushed to provide emergency support, moving to reinforce Inquiry Dock, but was pinned down by Wind-Filled Tower.
"Inquiry Dock must not fall! Our three Immortal Gu Houses can deploy the battlefield killer move Peach Blossom Labyrinth!" Fang Tichang immediately ordered the rescue.
Peach Blossom Labyrinth could trap Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals — back in the day, it had even managed to trap the Bean God Palace.
This killer move was renowned throughout the land. Not a single Western Desert Gu Immortal was unfamiliar with it. But ever since the battle began, the Central Continent side had maintained complete initiative, never allowing Western Desert the time or opportunity to deploy the Peach Blossom Labyrinth move.
Several Western Desert Immortal Gu Houses moved simultaneously to support Inquiry Dock. But in the next instant, the Central Continent formation underwent a dramatic shift, forming a massive encirclement that cut Inquiry Dock off from its reinforcements.
"This is bad!" Fang Tichang's expression darkened instantly, and he had no choice but to propel the Bean God Palace forward to help.
The Bean God Palace was the anchor of the Western Desert formation — it absolutely could not be moved lightly. Once it shifted, it would trigger a cascade of changes throughout the entire Western Desert battle line, inevitably creating gaps that the Central Continent side could exploit.
But at this moment, Fang Tichang had no other option.
The moment they saw the Bean God Palace spring into motion, the Central Continent Gu Immortals erupted with excitement.
"Fang Tichang has fallen for the trap!"
"Indeed. He may be a Wisdom Path Gu Immortal, but the situation has left him no choice."
"Charge in! The Western Desert formation is already falling apart. Seize this opening, and we can secure victory!"
Rumble…
The Central Continent Immortal Gu Houses unleashed a frenzied barrage of attacks, surging forward like a tidal wave, crashing down upon the Western Desert forces.
"This is bad." Even Fang Tichang's expression changed at the sight before him.
The collapse of the Western Desert side was imminent!
BOOM!
Amidst a thunderous roar, a magnificent Immortal Gu House descended onto the battlefield.
Its scale dwarfed even the Bean God Palace. Its entire structure was composed of massive crimson-gold bricks and black-gold glazed tiles. The palace surface was covered with countless reliefs, each one lifelike and brimming with divine resonance.
"This is?!"
"An Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House — the Myriad Manifestations Palace!"
The Central Continent offensive faltered for a brief moment.
The next instant, Ancestor Thousand Transformations' voice boomed from within the Myriad Manifestations Palace: "Heavenly Court of Central Continent, you've gone too far! This time, I, Ancestor Thousand Transformations, will make you pay your debt in blood!!"
At this critical juncture, Ancestor Thousand Transformations arrived at last, turning the tide of the Emperor City battle.
Fang Tichang let out a long, turbid breath and murmured softly: "This great war still has a way to go."
The Hairy Leg Mountain battlefield.
BOOM!