Gu Yue Yidai gnashed his fanged maw with a sharp crunch, but he could struggle all he wanted—he couldn't move an inch.
Suddenly, another wisp of yellow light was extracted from the yellow talisman face and fell to the ground, transforming into a black-and-white taiji sphere of light.
Inside the sphere, two peculiar Gu Insects circled one another, chasing and darting in pursuit, causing the taiji sphere to spin ceaselessly. Threads of profound Dao essence radiated outward from it, drawing the attention of countless onlookers.
"What Gu is that?" Bai Ningbing and the others stared in alarm.
"That's actually a Fourth Transformation..." Fang Yuan's eyes narrowed.
"The Yin-Yang Body Transmigration Gu!!" Heavenly Crane Ascetic shouted, a look of undisguised shock crossing his face. He froze for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed. "My dear Senior Brother, you really went through quite the trouble to find such a fine Gu. Hahaha, you actually wanted to transmigrate into a human body! What a pity, truly unfortunate—I've ruined it all!"
Gu Yue Yidai kicked his legs wildly, roaring over and over, completely losing his composure. Whether it was the Blood Skull Gu or the Yin-Yang Body Transmigration Gu, both were critical pieces in his nearly thousand-year scheme. Now they had both been sealed and extracted, and all his painstaking plotting was on the verge of coming to nothing.
Heavenly Crane Ascetic laughed even more heartily. Seeing Gu Yue Yidai's desperate reaction, his desire for revenge was thoroughly sated.
Another beam of yellow light extracted something from the talisman, which fell to the ground—a crimson Gu, semi-transparent like a water balloon.
The moment Gu Yue Yidai laid eyes on it, his thrashing suddenly stopped and wild joy flooded him. He opened his bloody maw, bared his fangs, and bellowed, "Someone, quick—destroy this Gu!"
Several Gu Masters stepped forward immediately upon hearing his command and deployed their methods.
This Gu had been sealed by the Fu Di Chuan Xin Gu and couldn't be activated through Gu Yue Yidai's mental connection. A layer of yellow light coated its surface, carrying the seal's power. Only Tie Xue Leng or a specialized Gu could break it open.
But this Gu was a consumable-type, something quite unusual in its own right. To use it, one merely needed to crush it.
Several Gu Masters struck at it. The yellow seal was only meant to suppress the Gu itself—it held no defensive capability. After bearing a few blows, it shattered apart, and the sealed Gu was destroyed by brute force as well.
Hummm!
A soft hum rang out as crimson light bloomed, expanding violently. In the span of an instant, it formed a spherical barrier of blood-red energy.
Gu Yue Yidai was inside. Heavenly Crane Ascetic was outside.
The blood-colored shield spanned six acres. Bai Ningbing and Fang Yuan were both within its confines, while Xiong Jiaoman and the others found themselves cut off on the outside.
Most invigorating of all, the moment this barrier sliced through the area, the White Brows were severed in two. The White Brows collapsed, and Fang Yuan and his group regained their freedom.
"This barrier's aura is Fifth Transformation... but it resembles the Water Curtain Heavenly Bloom Gu?" Fang Yuan muttered. He had never seen this particular Gu either.
Heavenly Crane Ascetic, blocked by the barrier, staggered to his feet. A cold sneer played on his lips. "Quite the trick, Senior Brother. Even like this you can still counterattack, breaking through my Raise-Brow-Exhale-Spirit Gu. But it's futile—with this flimsy defense, how could it possibly hold against me? You're only prolonging the inevitable!"
Gu Yue Yidai burst into hearty laughter. "Then why don't you try attacking and see for yourself, Junior Brother?"
"That's exactly what I'll do!" Killing intent flashed in Heavenly Crane Ascetic's eyes. Countless flying cranes dove in for the strike, while white light erupted from his gaze—an immense volley of bird-wing arrows rained down in dense, torrential fury.
Yet the blood-colored sphere remained utterly immovable, steady as ever.
Heavenly Crane Ascetic's expression turned exceedingly grim, and he ceased his assault. "What Gu is this?"
Gu Yue Yidai threw his head back and roared with laughter. "I'll have you know—this is the Blood Curtain Heavenly Bloom Gu, refined through my own exclusive method. The Water Curtain Heavenly Bloom is only Fourth Transformation and can already withstand Fifth Transformation Gu attacks. My Gu stands at Fifth Transformation, with even sturdier defense than that. The Water Curtain Heavenly Bloom won't let its own master pass through, but my Blood Curtain Heavenly Bloom—I can step out, but nothing comes in. So go ahead, Junior Brother. Take your time. Hit as hard as you like. Once I've recovered, I'll walk out and harvest your wretched head! Ahahaha!"
"You dog dare boast!" Heavenly Crane Ascetic was apoplectic. What should have been a certainty had been turned around by Gu Yue Yidai in a single move, and the stalemate had returned.
He attacked with frenzied fury, his assault ferocious beyond measure. The Gu Masters outside the shield, Xiong Jiaoman included, were all wiped out.
But within the Blood Curtain Heavenly Bloom, all was calm and serene. The blood shield stood firm as a mountain, and the Gu Masters inside gradually relaxed.
"Ancestor Yidai truly lives up to his legendary heroism!"
"We're saved at last! Once Ancestor Yidai unleashes his full power, this man is as good as finished."
"Phew—is this what a Fifth Transformation Gu Master's strength looks like? How incredible... and I actually survived!"
The crowd cheered and shouted.
Bai Ningbing alone let out a cold snort. With the Ten Absolute Great Limitation guaranteeing his death, this drawn-out stalemate robbed the situation of much of its excitement, which left him displeased.
Heavenly Crane Ascetic had been attacking for ages with no effect whatsoever. He suddenly stopped, his mind clearing.
Gu Yue Yidai's taunts had been designed to goad him into continuously wasting True Essence on attacks against the Blood Curtain Heavenly Bloom. If his guess was correct, this Blood Curtain Heavenly Bloom shared the same fundamental principle as the Water Curtain Heavenly Bloom—the refining cost was exorbitantly high, making it a single-use consumable. Its defense was formidable, but it had a time limit.
Once the duration expired, it would dissipate on its own.
At this realization, Heavenly Crane Ascetic immediately produced two Yuan Stones, clutched them in his palms, and sat cross-legged, beginning to restore his True Essence.
"Help me! Only by helping me can you find a chance to survive! Yuan Stones—I need Yuan Stones, as many as you have!" Gu Yue Yidai bellowed. Instantly, nearby Gu Masters scrambled to fetch Yuan Stones and piled them around him.
Gu Yue Yidai opened his massive maw and drew a deep breath. The Yuan Stones were sucked into his mouth. He clamped his jaws shut, and with a series of sharp crunches, the Yuan Stones were ground to powder, flooding his Empty Orifice with massive quantities of natural True Essence.
Heavenly Crane Ascetic's heart clenched with urgency at the sight. He roared, "Stop giving him Yuan Stones, you fools! Once he regains mobility, he'll slaughter every last one of you and use your blood to refine and elevate his own Aptitude! You're digging your own graves!"