Heavenly Court.
Ten Fifth Transformation Gu Masters arrived at a critical location deep within Heavenly Court, their hearts brimming with excitement.
They were the current Ten Sons of Human Path.
"Is this the Grand Origin Formation?" Xiao Qixing walked at the very front.
Behind him followed nine others: Sun Yuanhua, Fairy Bixia, Gu Ting, Wei Wushang, Ying Shengji, Chen Dajiang, Tang Ruqi, Sun Yao, and Zhao Shuye.
All ten were the most outstanding Gu Masters of their generation from the Ten Great Ancient Sects of Central Continent. Hand-picked and nurtured by Heavenly Court, they had undergone grueling cultivation within the mural world of God Emperor City, emerging as the new luminaries of the Human Path.
A heavy burden rested upon their shoulders — the accumulated yearning of every Venerable in Heavenly Court's history for the Human Path, the first seed of Central Continent's grand plan to dominate all Five Regions.
The ten gazed ahead to find a vast expanse of grey-white radiance stretching before them like mountains and seas, filling their entire field of vision.
The radiance shifted ceaselessly — now coiling like a dragon, now fluttering like butterflies, now standing like a towering wall, now rippling like waves upon water.
"The Grand Origin Formation was personally arranged by Immortal Venerable Star Constellation herself — it is Heavenly Court's greatest secret!"
"What an honor for us — we are the first batch of Gu Masters to enter the Grand Formation for cultivation."
"The merger of Black Heaven devouring White Heaven has become inevitable. The Heavenly Will shall stabilize and cease its chaos. Before long, it will be time for us to charge toward becoming Human Path Gu Immortals."
"Which means the Grand Origin Formation is our greatest opportunity before achieving immortality. We absolutely must seize this once-in-an-ages chance!"
"Indeed. After we complete our cultivation within the formation, all related memories will be erased. There's no telling when we'll ever get to come back."
The Ten Sons of Human Path discussed the matter among themselves for a while before finally settling on the order of entry.
Sun Yuanhua was the first to step into the Grand Origin Formation.
After roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he stumbled out from the shifting light and shadow, his steps unsteady.
"How was it? What did you experience inside the formation?"
"Did you gain anything?"
"Tell us quickly!"
The remaining nine crowded around him at once, peppering him with questions.
Sun Yuanhua's expression was still somewhat dazed, but he quickly recovered.
He recalled: "After I entered, everything before my eyes was a vast white mist of light. I tried stepping into it, and faintly, I spotted a figure in the distance. I gave chase."
"The further I pursued, the more distant it became. I have no idea how far I traveled. More and more figures began appearing within the white mist."
"At first there were five or six. Then fifty or sixty. Then six or seven hundred. By the time I fully realized what was happening, I was lost in an immense sea of people — surrounded on all sides!"
"I tried to call out, but no sound came from my mouth. I tried smiling, attempting to communicate with them. And I found that every single one of them was smiling back at me."
"But their smiles were so fake — like… like drawings traced with string."
"Can you imagine it? Tens of millions of people, all surrounding me with those hollow smiles, pressing in closer and closer, until I could barely breathe."
"I strained with all my might to push them away, but my strength kept dwindling — weaker and weaker."
"In the end, I was completely engulfed by that endless crowd of grinning faces."
"And when I came to my senses, I had already stepped out of the formation and was standing before you again."
"At the same time, an Immortal Gu recipe for the Shadow Puppet Gu appeared in my mind!"
Sun Yuanhua finished recounting his experience, lingering fear still evident on his face.
He had revealed the truth, which would be of great help to the others.
"Sounds like some kind of nightmare."
"This formation really is extraordinarily profound."
"From the looks of it, it seems that undergoing the Grand Origin Formation may produce an Immortal Gu recipe aligned with the Human Path?"
"One person's experience isn't enough to draw conclusions. Who goes next?"
The other nine Sons of Human Path deliberated without reaching a clear answer. The second person chosen was Gu Ting.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Gu Ting slowly stepped into the mist of light.
After more than half an incense stick's time, Gu Ting emerged from the formation, his expression bewildered — much like Sun Yuanhua's had been.
But he, too, quickly recovered.
Everyone gathered around him as he recounted his experience.
Gu Ting's experience was entirely different from Sun Yuanhua's. He hadn't seen a single figure — in fact, he didn't even feel as though he had opened his eyes.
His dominant sensation had been music.
Music played on some kind of instrument, reverberating through his mind the entire time.
When the melody finally faded, Gu Ting walked out of the formation.
"I received an Immortal Gu recipe — for my own Life Gu, which I had already modified: the Musician Gu."
The Ten Sons of Human Path erupted into discussion once more.
The Shadow Puppet Gu and the Musician Gu were both Human Path Gu Insects, and also happened to be the Life Gu of Sun Yuanhua and Gu Ting, respectively.
"So it seems the gains are connected to one's Life Gu?"
"More precisely, it should be the Immortal Gu recipe corresponding to one's Life Gu? This is incredibly useful for us!"