"Star-Fixing Gu is like a noose around my neck. I have methods to remove it, but they require a lot of time to prepare. To immediately remove Star-Fixing Gu, either Bai Ningbing must personally reclaim it, or I cut off my left forearm..." A strong impulse surged in Fang Yuan's heart.
Star-Fixing Gu was hidden in Fang Yuan's left forearm. If he abandoned his left arm, what the Four Elders of the Tie clan would seize would only be his severed limb.
But then, Fang Yuan would lose his left arm.
To heal it later, regenerate the lost limb, create something from nothing, would require great effort.
Aside from the trouble of treatment, the key issue was that if he cut off his left arm, it would be akin to "alerting the snake by rustling the grass." The Tie clan and Bai Ningbing would immediately understand that Fang Yuan had sensed something and would likely launch an attack.
Thus, the faction of heroes would gain two more members: the Tie clan and Bai Ningbing.
For Fang Yuan, this situation was undoubtedly worse than his previous life.
"I must not alert the enemy! I was fortunate to be reborn; compared to my previous life, my only advantage is knowing the course of events. If I play along, I can still use the Tie clan and Bai Ningbing for my own purposes temporarily. If I cut off my arm, not only will I push Tie and Bai to the opposite side, but events will immediately deviate from the trajectory of my previous life, and my rebirth advantage will be completely lost."
But if he didn't cut off his arm, how could he break out of the current predicament and launch a desperate counterattack?
Fang Yuan pondered deeply. Various people, events, and factors flashed through his mind like a passing parade.
Wang Xiao, Qiu Jiu, Wu Shen Tong, Zhang San San, Long Qing Tian, Xiao Mang, Tie Ruo Nan, Bai Ning Bing, Mo Wu Tian, Yan Jun, Feng Tian Yu...
Slave Gu, Sky Poison Gu, Earth Spirit, Bronze Palace, Immortal Essence, Star-Fixing Gu, Second Aperture Gu, Undefeated Gu...
Countless choices would give rise to countless possibilities. Countless possibilities would influence each other.
Fang Yuan's mind raced. Sparks of inspiration clashed in the darkness of his thoughts.
What should he do to protect himself while preserving the maximum benefit?
He racked his brains, exhausting his mind, and in just a short moment, his ears were buzzing.
"Wait a moment!" Suddenly, Fang Yuan's powerful body trembled.
"Maybe... taking a step back could lead to a broader sea and sky? Should I adopt a longer-term perspective?" An astonishing thought took shape in his mind.
"No, if I do this, the risk is even greater!" He immediately shook his head, muttering to himself, rejecting the idea.
But this thought, like an old tree taking root, lingered in his mind.
"If I do this and it actually succeeds, my gains would be even more enormous!" Fang Yuan's eyes shone.
But the next moment, he involuntarily shook his head again: "If there is even a slight miscalculation in this plan, I will be utterly destroyed, worse than falling into Tie Ruo Nan's hands. After all, I have already used the Spring Autumn Cicada once, and I cannot be reborn again in a short time..."
As he thought, Fang Yuan's gaze gradually deepened.
Suddenly, he laughed lightly: "Thinking that I, a great demonic overlord, when have I ever been timid and hesitant? As long as there is a sliver of hope, I should dare to act. As long as there is immense profit, I should risk my life. Wealth and honor are gained through danger. What is this 'steady progress' and 'slow accumulation'? I will reach the sky in one step!"
"Yes, this plan it is! If I fail, I die without a burial ground. If I succeed, I rise like a flood dragon soaring into the sky, even more beneficial to my future plans. Hehehe, hahaha, life is but a short century, a grand gamble!"
"Little Beast King, don't be impulsive. Let's talk things over calmly. If you want the path to Wu Shan, we can discuss it slowly, we can certainly negotiate." Wang Xiao, pinned under his foot, repeatedly begged for mercy.
Fang Yuan sometimes laughed wildly, sometimes silent, sometimes frowning, sometimes laughing happily, frightening Wang Xiao, the master of Wu Shan, a renowned Rank Five Gu Master, a demonic overlord, half to death.
In his heart, he had already regarded Fang Yuan as a madman, an unstable person.
The demonic path was extreme. Without family support, cultivation was very difficult, and they often struggled on the edge of life and death, causing immense psychological pressure. Thus, mental illness was not uncommon among demonic Gu Masters.
Especially since Fang Yuan sometimes talked to himself and even recited poetry, deepening Wang Xiao's worry.
He, Wang Xiao, had ways to deal with normal people. But when facing a lunatic, even Gu Immortals wouldn't be confident.
"Oh? Are you planning to tell me the path to Wu Shan?" Fang Yuan raised his eyebrows, looking down at Wang Xiao.
"Of course, but you must spare my life." Wang Xiao saw that Fang Yuan finally had a reaction, so his voice grew more urgent.
"Hmph!" Fang Yuan's gaze suddenly turned fierce. He stomped down with his foot, and with a crack, crushed Wang Xiao's head into a pulp.
Wang Xiao, a villainous hero, was sinister, ruthless, and cold-blooded. If one wanted him to reveal the path to Wu Shan, they would have to use Zhang San San's Rank Five Slave Gu.
But in Fang Yuan's new plan, Wang Xiao was already discarded, so there was no need to waste words with him. Killing him directly was simpler.
Pitiful Wang Xiao, the grand master of Wu Shan, once again died miserably at Fang Yuan's hands.
After killing Wang Xiao, Fang Yuan naturally took his Gu worms and used the Beast Strength Placenta Gu to devour his and Yun Luotian's apertures.
"Now, the quality of the Beast Strength Placenta Gu has reached 83%. As for Immortal Essence, I have used a bit more, reaching over two portions. Ba Gui, are you trying to persuade me to stop?" Fang Yuan suddenly spoke.
Earth Spirit: "Eh! How do you know what I'm thinking?"
"Of course I know." Fang Yuan snorted coldly, then released the aura of the Spring Autumn Cicada. "Ba Gui, feel carefully. What is this?"
Earth Spirit was indeed shocked again!