Northern Plains, a hidden location — the Valley of Despair.
Yin souls roared, heavenly lightning flashed. Firelight exploded in all directions, and blasts rang out in rapid succession.
A massive battle was underway.
The defending side was none other than Qin Baisheng, Fairy Jiang Yu, Huifeng Zi, He Langzi, and the others of the Shadow Sect — the same ones who had decisively abandoned the Langya Blessed Land and rushed back in time to reinforce.
Immortal-level killer move — Soul Pressure!
Qin Baisheng gave a low shout, braving the sky full of light and fire, and stepped forward.
Boom boom boom!
Three deafening explosions. Qin Baisheng forced the three attacking Gu Immortals back, his aura surging, giving the impression of one man holding a pass against ten thousand.
"I, the great Chen Zhenchi, have been defeated three times by a single Gu Immortal, unable to last even one move each time?!" Chen Zhenchi from the Myriad Dragon Dock struggled to stabilize his body, staring at Qin Baisheng before him with a face full of shock and fury.
"Damn it… the offensive wave we finally managed to rally was dismantled by him as easily as that." Bu Feiyan gritted her teeth, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
"This Soul Dao killer move is truly too powerful, too powerful. I never imagined Qin Baisheng's true strength was this formidable! Old Calculations' deductions were right after all — this fellow is most likely the one who destroyed the Eighty-Eight True Yang Building!" the Heaven Deaf Elder thought to himself.
The ones attacking the Valley of Despair were none other than a group of Gu Immortals from Central Continent's Ten Great Ancient Sects.
After hitting a wall at the Great Snow Mountain Blessed Land, Feng Jiuge had not been discouraged. Through capable command, he had uncovered many hidden leads.
Following Old Calculations' deductions, the immortals pinpointed the Valley of Despair's location and all rushed over together.
But the Valley of Despair had long been developed by the Shadow Sect and boasted powerful defensive Gu formations. The Central Continent Gu Immortals were delayed by these. Qin Baisheng and his associates, decisive as always, immediately returned to reinforce.
And so, the current situation had formed.
Neither side could gain ground.
The Central Continent side wanted to storm the Valley of Despair, while the Shadow Sect side defended their headquarters to the last.
Transformation Dao — Scent Sorcerer Dark Carving Wolf!
Wind Dao — Death Wind Flying Blades!
He Langzi and Huifeng Zi saw that the Central Continent Gu Immortals' offensive had stalled. They seized the opportunity at once and launched a fierce counterattack.
Ling Mei and Aoxue, the two fairies from Heaven's Jealousy Tower, were no match for their edge, and could only retreat steadily without the power to fight back.
Immortal-level killer move — Jade Song!
At the critical moment, Feng Jiuge made his move. The Sound Dao killer move, once unleashed, was extraordinary.
He Langzi and Huifeng Zi were struck and sent flying backward.
Huifeng Zi retreated into the defensive Gu formation, vomiting over a dozen mouthfuls of blood in succession. The blood had turned a deep jade-green, undergoing a qualitative change.
He Langzi suffered even greater damage — more than half of his Scent Sorcerer Dark Carving Wolf form had been stained into jade stone. He was utterly shocked: "What Immortal-level killer move is this? It seems to counter the Transformation Dao! After being hit by this, I can't transform back into human form. Looks like I'll have to resolve this injury before I can transform again."
"Feng Jiuge!" Qin Baisheng bellowed, his voice echoing across the entire battlefield.
"Qin Baisheng, I underestimated you. Last time I was actually fooled by you — your acting skills have earned my admiration. This time, it's only thanks to our side having a Wisdom Dao Gu Immortal, as well as the willingness to burn lifespan, that the deductions succeeded and we found this Valley of Despair." Feng Jiuge still wore that same red-and-white robe.
His bearing was upright, like a spear or a sword. As he spoke now, he wore a slight smile, his tone unhurried, brimming with poise.
"What deductions? The collapse of the Eighty-Eight True Yang Building has absolutely nothing to do with me. But since you've come, hand over your life." Qin Baisheng spoke slowly, then closed his eyes and lowered his head.
He then pressed his palms together at his chest, his right hand gripping the left into a fist, which he raised high above his head.
Seeing this posture, the Central Continent Gu Immortals all changed color. In their alarm and uncertainty, they began retreating.
Only Feng Jiuge stood rooted in place, as if nailed between heaven and earth, unmoved by wind or rain.
Upon seeing Qin Baisheng's posture, his eyes lit up: "Could that move of yours be Sword Immortal Bo Qing's Five-Finger Fist Heart Sword?"
"That's right, it is indeed." Qin Baisheng answered. "Are you ready to die?"
Feng Jiuge laughed, a hint of excitement coloring his expression. "Good, good, good — how wonderful. Sword Immortal Bo Qing was a senior of our Spirit Affinity House. He failed his ascension, and his killer move's legacy also vanished mysteriously. Our Spirit Affinity House never obtained it, yet a Gu Immortal of the Northern Plains ended up with it. However, I've read related records in our sect's archives. This Five-Finger Fist Heart Sword, an Immortal-level killer move, possesses incomparable power and unmatched sharpness. They say that when Sword Immortal Bo Qing created this move, he was moved by the grandeur of heaven and earth, the difficulty of ascensation, and his heart was filled with the courage and passion to resist heaven and earth by his own strength."
"That is why this move has such a peculiar posture. The user faces heaven and earth, head bowed, eyes closed. It seems like submission, but in truth he is pouring every ounce of body and mind to forge the sharpest counterattack possible. Holding the fist high above the head — you can see how incomparably heroic Sword Immortal Bo Qing was. My fate is mine, not heaven's. The sword resides in my heart, and my resolve in the Sword Dao is unwavering."
Facing this legendary killer move, Feng Jiuge showed no nervousness at all. Instead, he spoke at length with full composure.
The Central Continent Gu Immortals behind him were influenced by his bearing, and the thread of fear in their hearts dissipated. They found themselves even more impressed by Feng Jiuge's temperament.
"Hmph, you certainly know a great deal. It seems you've already foreseen your defeat and death," Qin Baisheng sneered coldly.
Feng Jiuge shook his head and laughed aloud. "How serendipitous. I created a Sound Dao killer move of my own, inspired by a certain period of my cultivation. Along the path of practice, I came to face heaven and earth, to respect heaven and earth, to feel the vastness of nature, and to sense my own insignificance and frailty. This move is called — Song of Heaven and Earth! How boundless heaven and earth are, and how small man is. This song borrows the might of heaven and earth to suppress all resistance with unparalleled majesty!"
One side wielded the vast, overwhelming power of heaven and earth — following the natural order, mighty and boundless. The other defied heaven through personal will — the determination of the Sword Dao, pressing forward without retreat.
These two moves were perfectly matched, as if made to counter each other.
The question was — would Song of Heaven and Earth prove one shade mightier, or would the Five-Finger Fist Heart Sword claim the edge?
For a moment, the rhythm of the entire battlefield slowed.
All eyes converged on Feng Jiuge and Qin Baisheng.
Even on Qin Baisheng's face, a strange expression surfaced. With his eyes still closed, he spoke: "Oh? Then this duel will be truly fascinating. Take this — First Finger!"
...
Light illuminated the Heavenly Court.
Eternal and undying.
The colossal projection of light and shadow formed by the Refinement Dao Gu formation loomed in midair, its radiance fully internalized, no longer piercing to the eye.
"Good. The first phase is complete — all materials have been processed. The second phase is to channel the Heavenly Will," the Heavenly Watchtower Master said after conducting an inspection.
"Channel the Heavenly Will…" Fairy Cangshui murmured.
Lian Jiusheng and Bi Chentian's faces also took on a grave expression.
The Heavenly Watchtower Master continued: "The so-called Heavenly Will is the will of heaven and earth! People possess will, and so do heaven and earth. Compared to heaven and earth, people are as small as ants, as insignificant as grains of sand — utterly negligible. The Heavenly Will is the most crucial immortal material for restoring Fate Gu. From here on, presiding over this Refinement Dao Gu formation will be an extremely lengthy and arduous process. We must all resist the Heavenly Will. Its momentum is vast and overwhelming — under no circumstances can we be broken by it, or we will suffer severe damage, even death! In this process, the Heavenly Court has lost several Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals before. Sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutting — for now, let us take turns resting briefly and prepare ourselves."
"Agreed."