The sky stretched in a single hue, boundless blue-green expanse.
Great winds howled, killing intent frozen in the air.
Two Immortal Gu Houses faced each other.
One was a grand palace, blazing with orange-gold radiance, magnificent and imposing — the Dragon Palace. The other was a two-story bamboo tower, brimming with vibrant life, elegant and refined — the Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower.
Each Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House carried a host of Gu Immortals aboard.
Wu Shuai sat in the seat of honor, with two days' Gu Immortals standing in ranked formation within the grand hall. On the left stood the Ice Crystal Immortal King and his people, while on the right was the recently defected Xiao Hejian, a wood-path great powerhouse among the Variant Humans. Han Hui Xiangu, Ye Tianlang Jun, and others were interspersed among them.
Not long ago, Wu Shuai had summoned Xiao Hejian. Once terms were agreed upon, the army set out swiftly, marching toward the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven.
Meanwhile, South Alliance's Wu Yong also understood the principle that speed was paramount in war. He immediately mobilized the Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower along with Gu Immortals from the Wu and Luo families, rushing toward the Primordial Daytime.
The Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower was far swifter than the Dragon Palace. Wu Yong departed later but arrived first. However, the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven could not be entered or exited at will. Just as Wu Yong and his forces waited for an opportunity to enter, Wu Shuai arrived at the helm of the Dragon Palace.
The two sides met in the Daytime and immediately assumed confrontational stances.
"Wu Yong." Wu Shuai spoke from within the Dragon Palace, his voice resonating across the battlefield. "The Qi Collapse True Inheritance lies right before us. Why don't we each send three members for a best-of-three contest? The victor takes the true inheritance in full, the loser claims the cave heaven. What say you?"
"Wu Shuai, since when did you become so long-winded?" Wu Yong's scoff echoed from within the Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower. "The Qi Collapse True Inheritance belongs to those fated to obtain it. Let us each rely on our own strength to seize it!"
The moment these words left his mouth, the Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower shot forward like a streak of green light, plunging straight into one of the largest gaps in the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven.
Wu Yong had waited for quite some time before finally seizing the chance to enter.
Although Wu Yong had brought the Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower on this expedition, the Gu Immortals at his side were merely the elites of the Wu and Luo families. In terms of lineup, they could not compare to Wu Shuai's side at all. It was not just a matter of numbers — the gap in peak combat power was equally vast.
If they truly followed Wu Shuai's proposal and fought three single duels, Wu Yong would suffer a clear disadvantage.
Moreover, once the Gu Immortals clashed in earnest and triggered a disturbance in heaven and earth qi, it would generate qi tides sweeping through the area. At that point, the two-day Gu Immortals, being less affected, would see their advantage expand even further.
Wu Yong was a contemporary power player — how could he allow his side to fall into disadvantage again and again?
"Alliance Leader, we must act quickly! Let us depart at once!" Xiao Hejian urged impatiently.
Wu Shuai focused his gaze upon the gaps in the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven. They came in varying sizes, all of a pure white color, formed by violent currents of qi swirling together.
The Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower had just entered the cave heaven through the largest of these gaps.
After observing for a while, Wu Shuai discerned something profound.
"These gaps, large and small, are growing ever more numerous. They are most likely the aperture gates of the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven."
Between Fang Yuan's main body and his clone, though memories differed, their realm was shared. Wu Shuai possessed the same qi-path attainment as the main body, and his insight ran far deeper than that of any other Gu Immortal present.
These gaps alone were enough to captivate him and stir something within his mind.
"Throughout history, aperture gates have served as checkpoints, mediating between the interior and exterior of an aperture. The gates of the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven are truly unique — they represent the most extreme realization of a gate's communicative function I have ever seen. What manner of rewards might await within?"
At this thought, Wu Shuai's curiosity only intensified. He urged the Dragon Palace forward, advancing at a measured pace.
In Fang Yuan's memories from five hundred years of his previous life, the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven had self-destructed, dealing a devastating blow to the two-day alliance army from which it never recovered. Countless Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals had perished here.
The Qi Collapse Cave Heaven was extraordinarily dangerous. This was precisely why, before the Battle of Destiny, Fang Yuan had not come to explore it.
But now the cave heaven had revealed itself. With the temptation of the Qi Collapse True Inheritance, the protection of the Dragon Palace, and no time pressure on Wu Shuai's side, the moment had finally come to act.
The Dragon Palace passed through one of the gaps and swiftly arrived inside the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven.
The immortals beheld qi currents surging in every direction, a pure white torrent howling in all quarters.
"The structure of the Qi Collapse Cave Heaven is quite special," Xiao Hejian explained in timely fashion. "It bears none of the scenery typical of ordinary cave heavens — everywhere there are these white qi currents. These currents form channels of all sizes. The countless channels have turned the interior of the cave heaven into a labyrinth, like the guts of some colossal beast. We must traverse these qi-current passages as quickly as possible, find the correct path, and make our way to the very center. The Qi Collapse True Inheritance is hidden there!"
The immortals within the palace listened with focused attention.
Xiao Hejian had not divulged everything. To prevent Wu Shuai from obtaining the intelligence and then abandoning him to seize the inheritance alone, he had withheld many secrets, reaching an agreement that he would only speak once they arrived on site.
The Dragon Palace wove through the white qi-current channels and soon encountered a fork. The passageways to the left and right appeared identical, nearly the same in size.
"How do we find the correct path?" the Ice Crystal Immortal King asked.
Xiao Hejian replied, "Even I cannot determine that. We can only keep trying. The only rule is this: the closer to the center, the higher the grade of the monsters and resources within the qi-current passages. At the very center, the qi skill fruits have already reached the Ninth Transformation level!"
"What about the Luo family's side?" the Ice Crystal Immortal King posed another critical question.
"The Luo family does not possess a more precise method either. In truth, their exploration progress has always lagged far behind our people's. It was only when the qi tides appeared, creating an opportunity and clearing away many obstacles, that they were able to rapidly advance all the way to the center. Had we been proceeding at our previous pace, we would have already been very close to the Qi Collapse True Inheritance — only the final two barriers remained." Xiao Hejian sighed, his tone laced with bitterness.
Upon hearing this, the immortals finally felt somewhat reassured.
"Then it seems that although the other side entered the cave heaven first, we still hold the greater advantage," Great Wisdom Immortal Mother analyzed.
"Do not let your guard down," Wu Shuai said coolly. "The Yuqing Dripping Wind Small Bamboo Tower is far faster than we are."