Ninth Transformation existences, whether Immortal Gu Masters or Immortal Gu, all suffered from heavenly envy and were difficult to preserve.
Thus, in the entire history of humanity, there had only ever been eleven Venerables, and every single one of them had a lifespan limit.
Ninth Transformation Immortal Gu currently existing in the world were also exceedingly rare.
Giant Sun Immortal Venerable took one last look at his own fortune.
He couldn't help but frown slightly.
The situation was not good.
It had worsened compared to before.
But based on his intelligence, Giant Sun Immortal Venerable still couldn't determine where exactly this bad fortune originated.
The one he suspected most in his heart was, naturally, Heavenly Court.
"That old woman Star Constellation Immortal Venerable — what scheme is she cooking up now?"
Giant Sun Immortal Venerable was not anxious.
He actually had methods to alter his own fortune.
But there was still that same drawback.
His immortal essence was stretched thin, needed for refining dao marks. His Luck Path Immortal Gu had not reached the Ninth Transformation, and using Eighth Transformation Luck Path killer moves to alter the fortune of a Ninth Transformation being was extremely difficult, consuming enormous amounts of immortal essence.
Giant Sun Immortal Venerable quickly ceased activating his divination methods.
The longer the three Venerables remained in standoff, the more important intelligence became. But each time Giant Sun Immortal Venerable conducted divination, the duration grew shorter.
He had to account for immortal essence depletion and conserve as much as possible.
Giant Sun Immortal Venerable fell into deep thought: "Where exactly does my bad fortune originate?"
"Heavenly Court is the prime suspect, but Fang Yuan cannot be let off guard either! He possesses the Sovereign Immortal Body and cultivates all Paths — his future potential is terrifyingly immense. Beyond that, he has one more advantage. That is the Refining Path itself!"
"Although the Refining Path is not adept at offense, its degree of development far surpasses the Luck Path and Blood Path. As a result, the number of Ninth Transformation Immortal Gu vastly exceeds those of the Luck Path, Blood Path, and even the Wisdom Path and Star Path."
The strength or weakness of a Path's development carried its own advantages and disadvantages.
Giant Sun Immortal Venerable had kept the Luck Path to himself. The Luck Path had not spread outward and developed very little. Other Immortal Gu Masters found it difficult to guard against Giant Sun Immortal Venerable's Luck Path methods, but the number of Luck Path Immortal Gu that could reach the Ninth Transformation was very small.
In contrast, the Refining Path was arguably the most widely developed among all Paths. Because refining Gu was something no Gu Master could avoid.
Even Gu Masters who cultivated other Paths would engage in at least some amount of Gu refinement.
In this way, the Refining Path developed further, more Gu Masters cultivated it, the dao marks of the Refining Path multiplied, resources flowed endlessly, the variety of Refining Path Immortal Gu grew abundant, and more and more of them could ascend to the Ninth Transformation.
"Fortunately, Fang Yuan is currently short on immortal essence, and the prospect of refining a Ninth Transformation Refining Path Immortal Gu remains far off."
"Perhaps my bad fortune comes not from Fang Yuan, nor from Star Constellation Immortal Venerable, but from another Venerable. If another Venerable were to be reborn, who would pose the greatest threat to me?"
Fang Yuan had the Boiling Luck Cauldron as his foundation, and more critically, the Heavenly Secret Confusion killer move, which meant that even though Giant Sun Immortal Venerable had the ability to divine, the results were far from ideal.
"If I could make a breakthrough in Blood Path Immortal Gu trade, my current fortune should improve."
It was not only Fang Yuan who was blocking Giant Sun Immortal Venerable in Blood Path Immortal Gu matters — Heavenly Court had been doing the same since the era of Blood Sea Ancestor.
The core Immortal Gu of the Demon Slaying Board, Blood Tie, and the Heart Blood Immortal Gu in Red Heart Walker's possession — both were things Giant Sun Immortal Venerable desperately desired.
Currently, Lord Hundred Feet was still engaged in lengthy negotiations with Fang Yuan's clone.
Eternal Sky and Heavenly Court were also conducting secret negotiations over Blood Path Immortal Gu, with virtually zero progress.
Western Desert.
Fang Gong charged up to Xiao Yehu and threw a devastating punch.
Terrified, Xiao Yehu had no choice but to activate his Immortal Gu House, the Night Urn, to shield his chest.
A thunderous explosion rang out, and the Night Urn shattered on the spot.
The terrifying remnants of the punch's force, slightly diminished, slammed into Xiao Yehu's chest.
Xiao Yehu shot away like a meteor, a deep crater caved into his chest, and torrents of blood mixed with shattered organs erupted from his mouth, painting a trail of crimson behind him.
A single punch left Xiao Yehu gravely wounded and on the brink of death, the Night Urn destroyed.
"Retreat first!"
"We can't keep fighting!"
The Anti-Fang Alliance was terrified to their core, their will to fight nearly extinguished.
Fang Gong's overwhelming strength had far exceeded their expectations — he was actually not countered by the Night Urn.
This Grand Supreme Elder of the Fang family was simply the bane of Immortal Gu Houses. Ever since the Fang family's surprise attack on the Wan family's Gaosong Oasis, he had successively destroyed the Wanguang Platform, the Red River Chariot, and the Xiao family's Night Urn.
All three of those Immortal Gu Houses were Seventh Transformation level, capable of rivaling Eighth Transformation combat power!
"There's one last one!" Fang Gong turned slightly, ignoring the retreating Seventh Transformation Immortal Gu Masters as his tiger-like gaze locked onto the Ten Thousand Years Tower once more.
The only Immortal Gu House remaining in the Anti-Fang Alliance was the Ten Thousand Years Tower.
The Ten Thousand Years Tower was also a Seventh Transformation Immortal Gu House capable of rivaling an Eighth Transformation. It was the Alliance's last pillar of support — once it fell, the Fang family would claim a total victory.
This was the most critical point.
The remaining Immortal Gu Masters, though all elites of the Seventh Transformation with their own specialties, would scatter at the first charge without the Ten Thousand Years Tower to anchor the formation — nothing more than a disorganized rabble.
"The Fang family has six Immortal Gu Houses, all at the Seventh Transformation level. And on our side, only the Ten Thousand Years Tower remains."
"Retreat, retreat quickly!"
"Is Heavenly Court still not making a move? How utterly incompetent. Look at how much Refining Heaven Demon Venerable has supported the Fang family — a full three Immortal Gu Houses! And what has Heavenly Court contributed?"
Fang Dichang once again demonstrated the cunning of a Wisdom Path Immortal Gu Master. At this critical juncture, he ordered the entire Fang family army to cease intercepting and pursuing the Seventh Transformation Immortal Gu Masters, and instead maneuver their Immortal Gu Houses to encircle the Ten Thousand Years Tower.
Without the Fang family in pursuit, every Immortal Gu Master in the Alliance except for the Wan family was already frantically retreating.
Wan Xiao and Wan Haoguang, their faces ashen, retreated back into the Ten Thousand Years Tower.
Six Fang family Immortal Gu Houses surrounded the Ten Thousand Years Tower. With an air of composure, Fang Gong slowly flew to a position before it.