After helping Tai Bai Sheng Sheng successfully survive his tribulation, Fang Yuan set about refining Dream Path mortal Gu Insects and harvesting Spring Dream fruits on one hand, while ramping up his businesses — Courage Gu Insects, Dark Fire Dragon Pythons, and more — on the other.
Before long, his monthly profits far surpassed what they had been at the same point in his previous life, even breaking past the two-thousand mark.
There were many reasons for this.
First, in his previous life, Fang Yuan had needed to spend considerable time carefully investigating and probing before selecting suitable trade partners — especially in the Western Desert.
But in this life, having retained all his experience, Fang Yuan had contacted his buyers with ease, cutting out many steps and saving a great deal of time, pushing his profitability far ahead of schedule.
Second, the Hairy Men in his stone nest had been freed up to focus entirely on refining Courage Gu Insects, rather than spending their time on non-profit Gu Insects like Star Thought Gu as they had in his previous life.
Third, Fang Yuan had no plans to relocate the Constellation Blessed Land. He had already forged a new alliance with Hei Lou Lan and the others. He might need to move eventually, but there was no urgent need right now.
Fourth, having the Feathermen form trade caravans to conduct business meant that Fang Yuan quickly saw significant results in the Western Desert.
The value of the Feathermen was beginning to show.
But Fang Yuan only dipped his toes in and did not dispatch all tens of thousands of Feathermen.
In this area, he had a long-term plan — he intended to use this population to breed the Feathermen in large numbers, and in the future perhaps even trade in Featherman slaves.
In the slave trade, Feathermen might not rival Hairy Men, but they were far superior to Stone People. The powers of the Western Desert, in particular, sacrificed no small number of Feathermen every year, and the demand for Featherman slaves remained consistently high in the market.
As Fang Yuan patiently expanded his operations and accumulated Immortal Yuan Stones, he did not neglect the accumulation of immortal-grade Gu refinement materials.
Time flew by, and the Lang Ya Blessed Land was invaded by powerful enemies once again.
The Lang Ya Earth Spirit knew the enemy force was formidable. With no other choice, he sent out pleas for help to both Fang Yuan and Tai Bai Sheng Sheng.
In this life, thanks to Fang Yuan's meticulous planning, Tai Bai Sheng Sheng's immortal aperture had suffered almost no damage. Upon receiving the letter, the two of them traveled together to the Lang Ya Blessed Land.
The Lang Ya Blessed Land was filled with boundless, vast clouds and mist. One could not see one's own hand before one's face. No sky above. No ground below.
"This is the Twelve Wave Cloud Maze Formation," the Lang Ya Earth Spirit introduced in a low voice. "And these are the invaders."
With a sweep of his sleeve, the Earth Spirit projected several images before Fang Yuan and Tai Bai Sheng Sheng.
Qin Bai Sheng, Jiang Yu, Hei Cheng, Xue Song Zi, He Lang Zi, Hui Feng Zi, and the Yan Huang Lei Ze Immortal Zombie — all of them appeared on screen.
"It's actually them!" Fang Yuan feigned surprise.
"You know these people?" the Lang Ya Earth Spirit immediately asked.
Fang Yuan nodded, his expression grave. "These people are extremely powerful. Their leader, Qin Bai Sheng, is only at the Seventh Transformation, but he can fight toe-to-toe with an Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal."
The Lang Ya Earth Spirit was visibly startled. "That powerful?!"
Fang Yuan pointed to the others one by one. "This fairy Jiang Yu possesses the Dark Crossing Immortal Gu. This is Hei Cheng, the ruling Gu Immortal Elder of the Hei Family — the current superpower of the Northern Plains. In his hands, he commands an Immortal Gu House! Then there's Xue Song Zi — don't let his Sixth Transformation cultivation fool you. He's a member of the Great Snow Mountain Blessed Land, and the one backing him is none other than the Eighth Transformation Xue Hu Old Ancestor. And this He Lang Zi, a Transformation Path Gu Immortal. His combat strength is immense. Back when Xue Hu Old Ancestor tried to recruit him, he wouldn't even give the time of day. This Hui Feng Zi is a Wind Path powerhouse whose mastery of Wind Path is unfathomably deep — the universally acknowledged fastest person among the Northern Plains Gu Immortals, having escaped from multiple Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals."
With each word Fang Yuan spoke, the Lang Ya Earth Spirit's mood grew heavier.
By the time Fang Yuan finished, the Lang Ya Earth Spirit's expression was as solemn as it could be. He pointed at the mysterious black-robed Gu Immortal. "I didn't expect the enemy to be this powerful. Then who is this Gu Immortal?"
Fang Yuan, of course, knew exactly who this person was, but a look of puzzlement crossed his face.
He deliberated for a moment. "This person conceals his face and has an Immortal-level killing move on his body — he seems truly mysterious. Let me divine it."
As he spoke, he began counting on his fingers, starlight flooding his body as the aura of an Immortal Gu radiated outward — all very convincing.
This immediately impressed the Lang Ya Earth Spirit. He couldn't help but think: "Although I've asked Fang Yuan to divine Immortal Gu recipes for me many times before, this is the first time I've actually seen him divine in person. I'm not sure what Immortal Gu he's using, but judging by appearances, his Wisdom Path attainment doesn't seem low at all!"
The starlight gradually dissipated from Fang Yuan's body. His expression was somber, his eyes sharp. "My goodness, this mysterious Gu Immortal has quite the pedigree — he's actually an Immortal Zombie, and not just any one, but one of the Ten Extremities Bodies: the Yan Huang Lei Ze Body!"
"You divined that in such a short time?" the Lang Ya Earth Spirit was quite astonished.
Beside them, Tai Bai Sheng Sheng chuckled. "Of course. Fang Yuan's attainment is that of a Wisdom Path Grandmaster."
"A Wisdom Path Grandmaster?!" The Lang Ya Earth Spirit's heart trembled. He looked at Fang Yuan once more, regarding him with newfound respect.
Fang Yuan kept his expression calm and said in a low voice to the Lang Ya Earth Spirit, "The enemy force is so vast that I'm afraid this time will be dangerous."
The Lang Ya Earth Spirit chuckled. "It's no matter. As long as we hold out for a while, no matter how strong a Gu Immortal is, I can capture them alive."
"Oh?" Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, feigning curiosity as he probed the Lang Ya Earth Spirit. "It seems you have powerful reinforcements on your side?"
The Lang Ya Earth Spirit wore a proud smile, originally not wanting to say more. But then he changed his mind and turned the tables, probing Fang Yuan instead. "At your young age, you're already a Wisdom Path Grandmaster? To be honest, that's truly beyond my expectations. Why don't you divine where my confidence lies in this fight against the enemy?"
Fang Yuan knew full well that the Lang Ya Earth Spirit's confidence rested on the Eighth Transformation Immortal Gu House, the Refining Furnace.
But for the next moment, he pretended to divine once more, this time feigning difficulty.