Overall, Fang Yuan's Supreme Immortal Aperture had made tremendous progress, but it still required massive further development!
The potential of the Supreme Immortal Aperture was simply staggering. The Five Regions and Nine Heavens framework—even without the Southern Border region, and having absorbed all the resources from the Black Van Grotto-Heaven—had yet to fill even half. If anyone were told, they would likely refuse to believe it.
And the area of each small Nine Heavens layer equaled the total of the small Five Regions combined.
Fang Yuan had long realized that the development and construction of the Supreme Immortal Aperture would be an incomparably monumental undertaking.
So far, if full development were considered "one hundred," then the portion already built and managed barely reached "two percent."
"If I weren't the one who witnessed it firsthand, how could anyone believe that such an immortal aperture actually exists in this world?"
"The Demonic Venerable Spectral Demon, the Shadow Sect, and the Zombie Alliance planned for a hundred thousand years to achieve this result. I snatched it right from their jaws. This is an irreconcilable enmity."
"Alas! It's a pity… This trip to the Eastern Sea, while a blow to Shadow Extortion's faction, can hardly be called a critical wound."
Thinking of this, Fang Yuan let out a soft sigh.
In the dim secret chamber, he sat cross-legged in silence, his long hair flowing smoothly down to his waist, skin like water and jade, his fathomless black eyes occasionally flickering with a cold glint.
After briefly adjusting his breathing, Fang Yuan mobilized his Immortal Essence once more, activating an Immortal-level Gu move.
Fortune Resonance!
In an instant, a certain perception radiated outward from Fang Yuan's entire body.
Had one possessed a Fortune-Detecting Immortal Gu, they would have been able to see the colossal fortune hovering above Fang Yuan's head, violently trembling.
Within Fang Yuan's perception, one vague point after another successively appeared.
Western Desert.
The scorching sun blazed down, baking this stretch of desert until smoke rose from the sand.
A life-or-death chase was unfolding here.
"You brat, you actually dare to steal a Gu Insect that we Sand Bandits had our eyes on!"
"Don't let me catch you, or I'll hack you into eight pieces, skin you alive, and hang you up as a lantern!"
"Give up now and hand over the Chaos Gold Gu obediently. That way, you might still have a sliver of survival."
A large group of Gu Masters—fierce and murderous—rode camels in pursuit of Han Li up ahead.
Han Li's fortune was extraordinarily strong. Had he been alone, his fortune might have dipped from time to time. But after linking fates, it had stabilized considerably.
He had cultivated all this way and now possessed Third Transformation cultivation.
Elder-level!
In the world of Gu Masters, that was enough to hold one's ground. He was no First Transformation novice, nor a Second Transformation cannon fodder.
Third Transformation cultivation was considered "elite" across the entire Gu Master world.
However, the current situation was dire—three among his pursuers were also at the Third Transformation, with even more at Second and First Transformation.
Han Li could do nothing but run.
His True Essence was plummeting rapidly, and the wounds on his body had become an additional burden, blood continuously seeping outward.
Every breath he drew felt like his chest was being scorched with fire!
But no amount of pain could make him loosen his grip even slightly.
Right now, his hand was clutching that Chaos Gold Gu.
"My Aptitude is poor. Though I've stumbled upon extraordinary opportunities time and again, relying on that long-term simply isn't dependable."
"But this Chaos Gold Gu can change my Aptitude and give me a brighter future."
"I have to fight! Only by fighting with everything I have do I have even a sliver of hope to make my cultivation stronger!"
Han Li gasped for air, utterly exhausted, yet his feet moved like the wind, his running speed undiminished.
His eyes burned as though two flames were raging within them!
Southern Border.
Green mountains and flowing water.
Ye Fan let out a mighty shout. Instantly, his massive frame swelled to twice its size, becoming towering and extraordinary.
Waves of radiant light emanated from his skin, pores, and eyes, magnificent beyond description.
Under the horrified gaze of his opponents, he descended like a god, driving both fists forward with staggering might.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Ye Fan strode forward in succession. Wherever he passed, brilliant light flashed—boulders shattered, rivers were cut asunder. His enemies fell before him like scattered leaves, utterly powerless to resist.
"Cough, cough, cough… Merchant Clan's Ye Fan, you truly live up to your reputation. This time, we Wine Village's Eighteen Brothers admit defeat!" The enemy leader coughed up great mouthfuls of blood. Though he desperately tried to rise, he simply lacked the strength.
The remaining seventeen Gu Masters had all collapsed to the ground—some unconscious, some wailing in agony, and while the rest had lost their ability to fight, they still glared at Ye Fan with intense hatred.
Ye Fan slowly withdrew his stance, exhaling a cloud of turbid air, his massive body gradually shrinking back to its normal proportions.
He looked at the opponents strewn across the ground and spoke calmly: "By the rules, you Wine Village Eighteen Brothers are to never set foot on this mountain again from today onward. Because it is now Merchant Clan territory."
"Hmph, rest easy. We may be independent cultivators, but we lost this contest fair and square—we honor our bets," the leader said with stiff resolve.