Fang Yuan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his whole body shrouded in the light of the Ten Jun Strength Gu.
A long time passed.
Fang Yuan opened his eyes. The light slowly dissipated, and the Ten Jun Strength Gu was now only half its original size.
"It can still be used twice," Fang Yuan estimated silently.
Ten Jun Strength Gu is a consumable Gu. After this one was used up, he would have a strength of seventy Jun. Such a foundation was acceptable for a Gu Master at the early stage of Rank Four Strength Path.
However, the Full Effort Gu had been suppressed to Rank Two. If this problem was not solved within a day, there was no possibility of a qualitative change in his Strength Path cultivation. It could be said that, within a short period of time, his Strength Path battle strength was not presentable.
He then checked his first aperture and second aperture in turn.
In his first aperture, his vital Gu, the Spring Autumn Cicada, was still concealed, sleeping and recuperating.
The ninety-percent crystal-purple true essence sea shimmered with sparkling light, reflecting the purple-misted crystal walls of the peak Rank Five realm.
Above the sea, the Wolf Smoke Gu was like a wolf-shaped dark cloud.
Floating on the sea was the fully repaired War Bone Chariot Wheel Gu, as well as the Snow Wash Gu which was like a pure white willow leaf.
The Rank Five Clue Gu was swimming around like an octopus, occasionally playing with the Rank Four Wolf Swallow Gu, which had a wolf head and a fish belly.
At the bottom of the True Essence Sea, there was a large accumulation of Tame Wolf Gus, many Ten Jun Strength Gus, and some Wolf Soul Gus.
At the same time, the Star Door Gu, the Toast Gu, the Secret Gu, the Soul Burial Gu, and the Instant Success Gu, which were the most important to Fang Yuan at the moment, were also hidden there.
As for the Howling Wolf Gu, the Wolf Gaze Gu, the Eagle Soar Gu, the Wolf Charge Gu, and the Concealed Breath Gu, they were all lodged in various parts of his body.
As the days of Fang Yuan's deep journey into the Northern Plains increased, his body had gradually adapted to the environment of the Northern Plains. The cultivation level of his first aperture in the Northern Plains had already reached the middle stage of Rank Five.
It was just that Fang Yuan had been using the Concealed Breath Gu to suppress his aura to the peak of Rank Four.
In the second aperture, it was a completely different scene.
The crystal membrane on all sides illuminated the aperture space entirely.
Waves of light rippled on the ninety-percent true gold true essence sea.
Through these days of cultivation, Fang Yuan's second aperture had also risen from the initial peak Rank Three to the peak Rank Four.
In the center of the aperture space was the Rank Three Full Effort Gu.
Besides that, there was the Rank Three Strength Qi Gu, which could transform beast power phantoms into a condensed Qi flow. The Rank Four Pain Gu, whose power increased the more injured the body was.
The Rank Four Barge Gu, the Rank Three Dauntless Flower and Elder Gu, the Rank Four Exhausting Gu, and the healing-type Rank Four Self-Reliance Gu.
As for the other Gu Worms that he had previously, like the Wrathful Vajra Gu, the Gold Touch Gu, the Pitch Black Gu, the Blood Skull Gu, the Family Reunion Gu, the Yin-Yang Turnaround Gu, etc., they were all temporarily unusable, and thus were all left in the Fox Immortal Blessed Land.
Because Fang Yuan had first appeared in the Northern Plains when he came out of the Lang Ya Blessed Land, his second aperture was the first to be recognized by the Northern Plains. The peak Rank Four cultivation level did not receive any foreign realm suppression.
The rapid progress of the second aperture's cultivation level was mostly due to the Relic Gu Fang Yuan had previously purchased.
However, due to his limited immortal essence stones, he could no longer buy the Purple Crystal Relic Gu. Therefore, for the time being, the cultivation of the second aperture could only rely on Fang Yuan's own power, following the steps in an orderly manner.
"Rank Four to Rank Five is a process of qualitative change, the gap is huge. Tonight, I might as well directly break through the second aperture's cultivation to the early stage of Rank Five!" Seeing that he still had plenty of time, Fang Yuan continued to sit cross-legged on the meditation cushion, deciding to charge towards the Rank Five realm.
The cultivation of the second aperture had already reached the peak of Rank Four, and the foundation was sufficient. Its aptitude could not be higher than the first aperture, but because it was personally refined by the Lang Ya land spirit, its aptitude was also ninety percent.
For an ordinary Gu Master, having only these two conditions was already enough capital to charge towards the Rank Five realm.
Usually, after failing a few times and gaining sufficient experience, they would all successfully advance.
But in terms of experience, Fang Yuan had always been strong; this obstacle did not exist for him.
More importantly, the true essence of the first and second apertures could be used interchangeably!
No two leaves in the world were exactly the same, and similarly, between Gu Masters, true essence was different. If they did not use a Gu like the Family Reunion Gu to transmit it, infusing each other with true essence would cause the different true essence to conflict and eventually result in an aperture explosion.
However, both the first and second apertures belonged to Fang Yuan alone. The true essence in the two apertures could be mutually borrowed and used one hundred percent, their nature being completely identical.
"Rise."
Fang Yuan recited silently in his heart, and the crystal-purple true essence in the first aperture surged out, rushing into the second aperture in the center of his chest.
The impact of the peak Rank Five true essence on the Rank Four crystal walls was indeed very effective.
By dawn, Fang Yuan had successfully broken through to the early stage of Rank Five.
This attempt to break through to Rank Five was, without a doubt, the easiest one he had ever experienced.
"It's just that because I used the true essence from the first aperture, now the second aperture is also subjected to the foreign realm suppression." Fang Yuan felt around. Although there was now a light purple true essence in the second aperture, its activation effect was still equivalent to the original true gold true essence.
"But after half a month, the foreign realm suppression on the second aperture will dissipate. After three months, the first aperture will also fully integrate into the Northern Plains environment, no longer suffering from the foreign realm suppression! By that time, the Imperial Court Contest will also have entered its final stages..."
Fang Yuan let out a breath of turbid air, stood up, and stretched his muscles.
A night of uninterrupted cultivation left him feeling slightly tired and fatigued.
He pushed open the door of the secret room. The two Rank Three Gu Masters in front of the door immediately reacted, bowing and greeting him.
One of them also told Fang Yuan a piece of good news: "Wolf King, our Gu Masters have luckily captured a Fin Wolf in the wild. It is currently locked in a cage. The clan leader has instructed that if you finish your cultivation, you can go to the logistics camp to subdue it."
This news brought an unexpected surprise to Fang Yuan.
The Fin Wolf was a beast, corresponding to the combat strength of a Rank Four Gu Master. Although Fang Yuan had bought a batch of mutant wolves in Treasure Yellow Heaven, he couldn't release them because it was hard to explain.
Having a Fin Wolf protect him on the battlefield would undoubtedly make Fang Yuan safer.
A moment later, Fang Yuan walked into the logistics camp.
"Tu Bo pays respects to Lord Wolf King." A Rank Three Gu Master quickly came out to welcome him.
He was short and fat, his chubby face full of oil, and said fawningly: "Lord Wolf King, I have been waiting for a long time. Let me lead the way."
Led by Tu Bo, in no time, Fang Yuan and the others saw the Fin Wolf through a wooden cage.
The Fin Wolf was as large as an elephant. It was currently lying in the cage, its body wrapped in a tough, crocodile-like leather armor.
On its back, there was a row of blue-black shark-like fins, extending from the wolf's head all the way to its tail.
The morning sunlight shone upon it. The Fin Wolf had its eyes closed, having lost consciousness under the effect of a Sleeping Gu.
"Congratulations, Lord! The Fin Wolf is the mutant wolf with the strongest defensive power. With this wolf guarding you, you are like a tiger with wings."
"What's more, the Fin Wolf can not only fight on land, but also dive underwater, making its combat strength even stronger!"
The two Rank Three Gu Masters serving as his guards saw such a magnificent Fin Wolf and spoke up one after another to congratulate Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan smiled as he looked at the Fin Wolf in front of him. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked nonchalantly: "Capturing this beast cost the lives of many people, didn't it?"
Tu Bo knew he was being asked, and immediately replied: "Indeed! It cost the lives of four full Rank Three Gu Masters. At least two hundred Rank Two Gu Masters died. If the two clan leaders, Wang and Fang, hadn't provided timely support, this Fin Wolf would have escaped."
Fang Yuan nodded, his eyes narrowing into a slit: "This Fin Wolf's body is covered in wounds and scars. But in my eyes, it seems to have old injuries?"
"Yes, that's right. If not for the old injuries, the scout Gu Masters would have found it difficult to escape and return to report the news. It shows that Lord Wolf King has received the blessing of Eternal Heaven. On the eve of the great battle, an injured Fin Wolf is delivered right to your doorstep." Tu Bo flattered.
"Lucky, huh..." Fang Yuan murmured, the feeling of unease in his heart growing stronger and stronger.
He couldn't tell where this feeling of unease came from. He just felt a sense of crisis for no reason.
He asked a few more questions but didn't notice anything wrong.