The Fang family's main base.
An Immortal Gu House stood with blue bricks and golden tiles, majestic as a mountain, its solemnity tinged with vitality, its gravity pregnant with life, emanating a rich, fresh fragrance of vegetation.
Its palace gates were thrown open, revealing the vast hall within. Inside, dozens of massive pillars stood, each one thick and sturdy, gleaming with a bronze luster.
Above the main entrance hung a plaque bearing three large characters — Dou Shen Palace.
And surrounding Dou Shen Palace, a crescent-shaped Wisdom Path Gu Formation had been constructed, partially encircling the structure.
The Wisdom Path Gu Formation shimmered with a pale blue radiance that fell upon Dou Shen Palace. The blue light, like water, struggled to penetrate into the palace's interior, but with little success.
After persisting for a brief while, the Wisdom Path Gu Formation ceased its activity, and two Gu Immortals emerged from within.
One wore a yellow robe, his appearance ordinary, his face adorned with a beard, looking much like an ordinary mortal — except for his ashen complexion and the beads of sweat covering his forehead. This was none other than the Fang family's Second Supreme Elder, Fang Dichang.
The other was clad in a black robe, appearing middle-aged, slender of build, with long hair draped over his shoulders and graying temples that gave him an air of aloof arrogance. This was none other than the Suan Bu Jin disguise that Fang Yuan had assumed.
At this moment, Fang Yuan sighed in admiration: "This Dou Shen Palace is truly extraordinary. Even without anyone presiding over its defense, it behaves as though it were a living thing. It's like a towering ancient tree, and we are nothing more than two tiny insects. Even if we exert every ounce of our strength to penetrate it, to the Dou Shen Palace, it's merely a drop in the ocean."
"Indeed," Fang Dichang nodded. "What's worse, even if we snap off a few leaves and branches from this great tree, it won't be long before they grow right back."
Fang Yuan analyzed: "This is indeed consistent with Supreme Master Yuan Lian's style. According to the historical records, he possessed the most abundant Immortal Essence among all Supreme Masters, ranked first in recovery ability, and had deeply grasped the essence of the Wood Path. Second Elder, you and I are both Wisdom Path Gu Immortals — refining a Wood Path Immortal Gu House will be incredibly difficult! Why not invite one or two powerful Wood Path cultivators to assist us? That would surely produce better results."
Fang Dichang smiled bitterly: "Brother, do you think I haven't tried? Unfortunately, the Western Desert has always been lacking in Wood Path practitioners. Moreover, the news of our family's acquisition of Dou Shen Palace has long since leaked. The other super families have formed an encirclement and have been pressing on this front, blocking our every move."
"Naturally, there are factions that have proactively offered to provide Wood Path Gu Immortals. Brother, take a guess — which one?" Fang Dichang asked.
Fang Yuan's thoughts stirred, and without needing much deliberation, he replied: "It must be Heavenly Court, I presume?"
"You hit the mark with your very first guess. That's right — it's Heavenly Court! Lord Dragon personally guaranteed that they would send Wood Path Gu Immortals to reclaim Dou Shen Palace, wipe away all past grievances, and they even promised a vast quantity of resources." Fang Dichang let out a cold laugh.
Having experienced the battle for the East Sea Dragon Palace, Fang Yuan had gained a deeper understanding of Lord Dragon. Hearing of Lord Dragon's concession, he was not the least bit surprised.
He said: "Heavenly Court is playing a clever scheme — they intend to use the current situation in the Western Desert to force our Fang family into submission. But no matter how generous the resources, how could they compare to an Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House like Dou Shen Palace? As long as this palace is in our hands and at our disposal, why would we ever lack resources?"
"Hahahaha!" With a hearty laugh, a Gu Immortal strode toward Fang Yuan and Fang Dichang.
"Brother Suan Bu Jin, you're absolutely right." This Gu Immortal was an elderly man with white hair and white eyebrows, his beard resembling a lion's mane, his muscles bulging with powerful, hard lines, his aura overwhelming. This was none other than the Fang family's Supreme Grand Elder, Fang Gong.
Fang Gong patted Fang Yuan's shoulder warmly: "Brother, it's no easy thing — on your very first day here, before you've even had a sip of hot tea, you've already thrown yourself into the formation for grueling calculations. I've prepared a banquet to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."
Fang Yuan smiled: "I appreciate the Supreme Grand Elder's concern. The campaign to conquer Dou Shen Palace has also ignited my interest and fighting spirit. Besides, I am the Fang family's guest Supreme Elder — helping the Fang family is helping myself, wouldn't you agree?"
But in his heart, his thoughts were crystal clear: "The Fang family is under tremendous pressure, and they've finally decided to ask for my help in refining Dou Shen Palace as quickly as possible. Their warm attitude toward me is hardly surprising. It seems I can take this opportunity to leverage the situation, raise my demands, and secure some benefits first."
Fang Yuan's heart was simply pitch black through and through!
Not only did he intend to seize Dou Shen Palace, but he also planned to exploit the Fang family beforehand, squeezing every last drop of profit from them.
The Fang family had truly brought misfortune upon themselves by bringing him in. In his previous life, without Fang Yuan's interference, the Fang family had been in excellent standing. On their own strength alone, they had resolved the crisis — and it seemed that even during the final Central Continent Gu Refinement Conference, they had still not managed to refine Dou Shen Palace.
A grand banquet was held, its scale impressive. The Fang family was truly determined to leverage Suan Bu Jin's power. The Fang family's upper echelon were all warmly attentive, and Fang Gong, an Eighth Transformation cultivator, proved especially approachable.
Fang Yuan pledged on the spot to give his full assistance.
And so, host and guest alike revelled in contentment.
Had the Fang family known that the Gu Immortal being so lavishly honored before them was, in fact, the greatest mastermind behind all their tribulations, they might very well have flayed Fang Yuan alive on the spot!
In the days that followed, Fang Yuan followed alongside Fang Dichang, assisting him in refining Dou Shen Palace through the Wisdom Path Immortal Formation.
Dou Shen Palace was ceaselessly regenerative, capable of self-repair and rejection of infiltration. If today's progress measured ten, by tomorrow it would have retreated to three or four.
Each time Fang Yuan and Fang Dichang made their attempt, they pushed their minds to the point of burning, of scorching heat, driving their calculations to the absolute limit before reluctantly giving up.
"Although I haven't gone all out, I've still demonstrated the first-rate caliber of a Seventh Transformation Wisdom Path Gu Immortal."
"Even so, with my help, Fang Dichang has made agonizingly slow progress. One can only imagine how dire his situation was before I came to assist."