Deep within the underground cave, Fang Yuan sat beneath the Wisdom Radiance, lost in deep thought...
"Though I am a reborn person with five hundred years of experience from my previous life, compared to old monsters like Mo Yao and Giant Sun, I am but a drop in the ocean. My former advantages no longer exist."
Throughout the vast river of history, countless stars have shone bright — how many heroes and great men there have been!
Giant Sun Immortal Venerable was a once-in-a-million-years invincible figure in the entire history of humanity.
Fairy Mo Yao was a Grandmaster of the Refinement Path, a fairy of Spirit Affinity Hall back in the day — a prominent figure, brilliantly talented. In the vast Central Continent at that time, she ranked among the top ten Immortal Gu Masters.
Though Fang Yuan possessed an iron will and unique experiences, he was merely an insignificant star among the galaxy. With his current foundation and strength, he was far from standing alongside the greats of history.
"The trip to the Northern Plains exceeded all expectations. If not for Mo Yao's will interfering, I would have preferred to keep True Sun Tower, changing my identity every ten years and exploring it gradually. But now the deed is done — the Northern Plains will be shaken to its core, and countless powerful figures and factions will come looking for me!"
Fang Yuan reviewed his lessons and concluded that his disadvantage lay in the Wisdom Path.
His strength was in strategy and planning, built upon his reborn experiences, which only amplified this advantage.
But Mo Yao's will had actually interfered with his thinking, preventing him from reasoning with full correctness. Fang Yuan knew full well that hiding in the Fox Fairy Blessed Land seemed perfectly safe, but in truth it was merely waiting to die. Only by striking first, before they could ascertain the truth, could he turn the crisis around.
"Secret Crossing Immortal Gu — I heard its name often in my previous life. It can truly conceal one's aura and block divination. If I could obtain this Gu, I believe the situation could turn from danger to safety."
Fang Yuan thought of Hei Loulan.
This woman was no ordinary person — she was a once-in-a-generation schemer. She would shift with the wind, betray her ancestors for personal gain, and even murder her own father — that was naked demonic nature! She possessed the Great Strength True Martial Body, and had obtained Strength Path Immortal Gu. Once she ascended to Immortal status, she would soar to extraordinary heights.
She and Fang Yuan were quite alike, but precisely because of this, he had to be extra cautious in cooperating with her.
Whether it was Secret Crossing Immortal Gu or Fixed Immortal Travel, both were things Fang Yuan desired.
At this point, his train of thought ground to a halt.
The will in his mind had been nearly consumed. Soon, many fresh strands of will filled his mind once more.
"Unfortunately, will generated from mortal Gu is limited in quantity. Under the Wisdom Radiance, it's easily burned through. If I could use Immortal Gu to generate will, the volume would be vast — enough to sustain me for a long time, letting me think to my heart's content!"
Fang Yuan felt a twinge of regret.
He possessed a Wisdom Path Sixth Transformation Immortal Gu — the Joy of Mountains and Rivers Gu, which could generate enormous amounts of willing intent.
But after some consideration, Fang Yuan chose not to use it.
Activating Immortal Gu required Immortal Essence. His Green Grape Immortal Essence was scarce, with only nineteen beads remaining. The Immortal Orifice had already become a dead zone — each bead used was one fewer.
He needed to conserve his Green Grape Immortal Essence as much as possible, for unforeseen emergencies.
For now, he had to make do with mortal Gu.
After accumulating a certain amount of mortal will, Fang Yuan stepped into the Wisdom Radiance once more.
This time, he no longer considered the broader situation, but focused entirely on himself.
"I've now become a zombie, unable to advance my cultivation even a single step. How to revive myself and restore my human form — that is the first and greatest problem. If only I could use the Yin Yang Rebirth Gu, but alas, I'm an Immortal Zombie, and the Yin Yang Rebirth Gu only reaches the Fourth Transformation. The second great problem is — I've gone bankrupt!"
For his trip to the Northern Plains, Fang Yuan had invested nearly his entire fortune. He had long been spending beyond his means, his finances thoroughly bankrupt.
Now he didn't have a single Immortal Essence Stone left, and even the Fox Fairy Blessed Land had become barren and desolate.
Before the final battle in the Northern Plains, Fang Yuan had already exhausted his remaining Immortal Essence Stones. At the critical moment, he had no choice but to barter goods for goods. The fox packs and wolf packs in the Fox Fairy Blessed Land had all been sold off as much as possible. Now, across the vast grasslands, one could only occasionally spot scattered foxes and wolves roaming about.
The nearly ten thousand fur-folk he had originally purchased had also been sold off in large numbers to deal with the emergency. Only two thousand experienced old fur-folk Gu raisers remained — he simply couldn't bring himself to part with them.
The stone-man slave trade had always been a strong pillar supporting Fang Yuan's economy. But after Immortal Crane Sect terminated their large orders, that pillar crumbled. The stone-man trade market in the Treasured Yellow Heaven had long since been divided up among others, leaving Fang Yuan unable to break in. This only added frost to his hardship.