Absorbing the ancient radiance, the cocoon was undergoing a profound transformation.
Fang Yuan blazed golden as he flew upstream against the Heavenly Waterfall Light River. Against the Fifth Transformation Gu Master's devastating killer move, the Golden Bastion Gu's pure defense was gradually failing.
The golden shield was being washed away by the light, little by little.
Especially along the bone wings, the original black was gradually being revealed as the Heavenly Waterfall Light River scoured the gold away.
In the magnificent, vast river of radiant light, a solitary figure bore the immense pressure, struggling to fly forward.
This wondrous sight drew the attention of countless Gu Masters.
The vast battlefield fell silent.
The Earth Spirit was devoting all its effort to assisting Fang Yuan. Without direction, the beast creatures were mostly fleeing in disarray. The Gu Masters too had halted, one by one, craning their necks to gaze upward.
In their hearts, a similar question stirred—"I've never seen this sight before, so why does it feel so familiar?"
"I remember! I remember!" Suddenly someone shouted. "This scene was recorded in the Legend of Human Ancestor! No wonder it feels so familiar!"
The Legend of Human Ancestor was the world's foremost classic, renowned throughout the land. There was no one unfamiliar with it.
With that reminder, many people suddenly realized the truth.
"That's right. Volume Two, Section Three of the Legend of Human Ancestor contains a relevant account."
"I remember now too. Tai Ri Yang Mang, in order to refine the Immortal Gu Fixed Immortal Travel, spread his wings and bathed in the Glorious Light, flying toward the sun."
As people recalled this, a wave of laughter erupted.
"What is this person doing? Imitating Tai Ri Yang Mang, disregarding his own life?"
"Haha, is he trying to refine the Immortal Gu Fixed Immortal Travel too?"
"How could that be! Does he even have the Divine Wandering Gu?"
Fang Yuan did, of course, have the Divine Wandering Gu!
But having the Divine Wandering Gu alone was not enough. The Legend of Human Ancestor recorded—
Tai Ri Yang Mang feared that the Divine Wandering Gu would take advantage of his drunkenness to place him in danger. The Divine Wandering Gu felt ashamed as well. So it guided him: "First fly up to the heavens. Within the Nine Heavens, in the Azure Heaven, there is a bamboo grove. In that grove, pluck a stalk of Azure Sky jade bamboo. Then go to the Blue Sky of the Nine Heavens, and at night, gather the octagonal diamond stardust from the starlight fragments. After that, at dawn, fly toward the sky and use the Glorious Light of the morning sun to transform me into the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu. Once I become that Gu, I will never again drag your drunken body hither and thither."
So Fang Yuan needed the Azure Sky jade bamboo from the Azure Heaven, and the octagonal diamond stardust from the Blue Sky.
And also, the Glorious Light of Antiquity.
Did he have it?
He originally did not.
But after his rebirth, he had killed Long Qingtian and obtained the Azure Sky Gu.
This Gu was a Fifth Transformation Gu from the ancient era, resembling a section of dark green bamboo, palm-sized, hollow through the middle, and as smooth and lustrous as jade to the touch.
It was precisely the Azure Sky jade bamboo from the Azure Heaven!
The Legend of Human Ancestor described all manner of Gu. Immortal Gu were mentioned directly, such as the Zhi Hui Gu, the Li Liang Gu, and so on. Ordinary Gu, however, were only alluded to subtly, described in veiled terms. The reader needed to dig deep and study carefully to uncover them.
But possessing the Azure Sky jade bamboo alone was not enough. He still needed the octagonal diamond stardust.
Did he have it?
He certainly did not—though Bai Ningbing had secretly planted it in him!
That was none other than the Fixed Star Gu.
This Gu was ancient stardust, resembling a diamond. It had eight sides, crystal clear and translucent. When planted in Fang Yuan's left forearm, it would radiate starlight, rendering his forearm a semi-transparent, ethereal blue.
The Azure Sky jade bamboo from the Azure Heaven, and the octagonal diamond stardust from the Blue Sky—both were now in hand. But if Fang Yuan wished to refine the Immortal Gu Fixed Immortal Travel, one condition remained—the one the Earth Spirit had spoken of—the Glorious Light of Antiquity.
Did Fang Yuan have it?
From beginning to end, he never had.
But while Fang Yuan did not, Xiao Mang did.
Xiao Mang possessed a Great Light Gu, obtained from tomb raiding, though it was damaged. Each month, it could only be activated three times, producing the Glorious Light. After three uses, it would self-destruct.
And the Heavenly Waterfall Light River killer move was, in a sense, the very Glorious Light of Antiquity!
The Divine Wandering Gu, the Azure Sky Gu, the Fixed Star Gu, and the Glorious Light of Antiquity—all the conditions were met!
When Fang Yuan had realized this upon his rebirth, he had resolutely abandoned his plan to refine the Second Empty Orifice Gu, and instead resolved to refine the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu.
But directly persuading the Earth Spirit was utterly impossible.
The Earth Spirit's obsession was to refine the Second Empty Orifice Gu.
So Bai Ningbing, Tie Ruonan, and the heroes of both the Righteous and Demonic Paths became tools for Fang Yuan to manipulate!
He calculated meticulously, strategized from behind the scenes, and rode the momentum of events, ultimately creating this precise situation. When the Earth Spirit realized that no matter what, the Second Empty Orifice Gu could not be refined, it would naturally choose to settle for the next best thing—protecting Fang Yuan, preserving this shred of hope.
The cocoon absorbed the sunlight and trembled faintly. The aura of an Immortal Gu leaked out inevitably.
The assembled heroes were stunned.
"Such an aura—how is this possible!?" Tie Ruonan, Bai Ningbing, and the others nearly had their eyes pop out of their heads.
"He's refining Gu—he really is refining an Immortal Gu?! Who on earth is he? Could he be Tai Ri Yang Mang reborn?" Yi Huo, Yi Chong, and the others stood with mouths agape, jaws practically on the ground.
"Fixed Immortal Travel! He's really refining the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu! To think that I, Feng Tianyu, would be fortunate enough to witness the refinement of an Immortal Gu!" This Gu refinement master's knees gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face!
The remaining fur folk in the blessed land all fell to their knees in reverence.
In that instant, they worshipped with frenzied devotion the one who was refining an Immortal Gu!
Unbelievable.
An ancient scene playing out before their very eyes...
The magnificent grandeur beyond imagination made countless Gu Masters tremble throughout their bodies. Whether from excitement, from fear, or from both, none could tell.
In that instant, Fang Yuan's figure became the focal point of every gaze!
Even though the Heavenly Waterfall Light River was blinding, everyone kept their eyes wide open, staring without blinking.
The aura of the Immortal Gu grew ever stronger, but at this most critical moment, an unexpected change erupted.
"You dare use my power to refine an Immortal Gu? Hmph!" Xiao Mang was no fool. Once he understood, he immediately halted his killer move.
The Heavenly Waterfall Light River cut off!
The crowd let out a collective cry of alarm.
"No—!" Feng Tianyu even wailed, his heart pierced with anguish. Grief and despair overwhelmed him.
In his vision, the Heavenly Waterfall Light River drifted downward like a severed silk ribbon, powerless. In just three breaths, the Gu Master within the light river would fly free of it. And that brief window was nowhere near enough for an Immortal Gu to be fully born.
But could Fang Yuan have failed to account for this?
Third Watch Gu! Third Watch Gu!
He activated both Third Watch Gu on the cocoon.
Instantly, time accelerated ninefold, and the Immortal Gu's aura surged.
"He used a Time-path Gu to accelerate?!" Feng Tianyu scrambled to his feet as though electrocuted. His eyes blazed with light, a fierce flush rising to his face—there was still hope?!
But the flush of excitement quickly turned to pallor. Feng Tianyu looked as though he were mourning his own parents. He collapsed back to the ground, soulless, and wailed: "It's no use. This kind of acceleration is merely drinking poison to quench one's thirst. If the Immortal Gu is born too quickly, its aura cannot be stabilized—it will inevitably self-destruct from the backlash..."
But how could Fang Yuan not have anticipated this?
He produced a particular Gu.
This Gu was unremarkable in appearance, resembling a flat grey stone disc.
In his previous life, Fang Yuan had obtained it from Feng Tianyu. In this life, it was offered up by the murderous Ghost Doctor Chou Jiu.
What Gu was it?
The Boon of War Gu!
The Boon of War Gu—a Fifth Transformation consumable Gu. Once used, it guaranteed that the Gu Master's refinement would succeed on that single attempt!
The next moment, Feng Tianyu was stunned. He clutched his head and screamed in wild elation: "Impossible!"
Because he could feel that the Immortal Gu's aura had miraculously stabilized!
The cocoon cracked open, and a butterfly luminous with green light fluttered forth—the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu!
"It truly is an Immortal Gu!"
"Breathtakingly beautiful..."
"Who on earth is he, to have actually refined an Immortal Gu?!"
In an instant, tumultuous waves crashed through everyone's hearts. Whether those who knew the truth or those who did not, all were struck speechless, shocked to their very cores.
Xiao Mang was dumbfounded. Mo Wu Tian stood frozen.
"Is this a myth replaying before us?"
"What era am I actually living in?!"
Fang Yuan flew out of the light river. The Fixed Immortal Travel Gu circled around him, its wings beating to shed radiant green light that shimmered like jade dust—beautiful beyond words.
Of course, Fang Yuan had paid a steep price.
A Fifth Transformation killer move was no joke. The Golden Bastion Gu had reached the end of its lifespan, and the Golden Radiance Gu and others had been severely damaged as well. The black wings on his back were also tattered and ruined.
The golden shell fell away, revealing Fang Yuan's true face.
In that instant, the entire battlefield erupted in uproar.
"Who is he?" Mo Wu Tian's pupils contracted sharply.