After the Spectral Sky took form, it gradually stabilized. The beast herds that had fled earlier now returned in succession, surviving in the heavens above.
The various blessed lands kept their gates tightly shut, anchored in the void. Though they had suffered some losses, they all survived.
Spectral Soul Demon Venerable dominated the Spectral Sky and rarely ventured out.
The two great blessed lands did their best to avoid opening their gates or communicating with the outside world, lest they attract the attention of Spectral Soul Demon Venerable.
Fang Yuan, Star Constellation, and Giant Sun, the three Venerables, were all busy refining natural Dao Marks. The stalemate between them had settled in once more.
Taking advantage of the Venerables' ceasefire and the brief reprieve between heaven and earth, a great number of Gu Immortal seedlings chose this very moment to push for their breakthrough into Gu Immortal cultivation!
Central Continent.
The blessed land that served as the Heavenly Lotus Sect's headquarters.
"Mu Huai greets the Supreme Grand Elder." A newly ascended Sixth Transformation Gu Immortal bowed respectfully to the ground.
The Supreme Grand Elder of the Heavenly Lotus Sect gave a slight nod. After offering Mu Huai a few words of encouragement, he turned to a Gu Immortal standing beside Mu Huai. "Wu Zhang, Mu Huai was the one you nurtured. You'll be responsible for arranging his affairs."
"Yes." Wu Zhang answered and led Mu Huai out of the great hall.
Wu Zhang was the Supreme Fifth Elder of the Heavenly Lotus Sect. Long ago, he had established the Five Virtues Gate in Central Continent under his own name.
The Five Virtues Gate had five Elder positions corresponding to the five virtues, and Mu Huai became the Wood Virtue Elder among them.
This time, he had risked everything to ascend successfully, establishing a mid-grade blessed land. Wu Zhang had brought him into the Heavenly Lotus Sect, where he earned the Supreme Grand Elder's recognition.
From that day forward, Mu Huai was part of Wu Zhang's faction.
Several days later. Northern Plains.
A tribulation of immortal ascension had just passed. Ouyang Bisang, who had gambled everything on the breakthrough, was left with only half a body, barely clinging to life.
"Second Brother, you did it!" Mo Shikuang's booming voice rang out as he rushed forward in excitement.
Ouyang Bisang could only manage a faint smile. He had no strength to speak and could only fix Liu Wenwu with a gaze full of gratitude.
If Liu Wenwu hadn't been there to support him, Ouyang Bisang would have surely perished this time.
Even now, it was entirely thanks to Liu Wenwu employing an Immortal Gu move to keep Ouyang Bisang alive.
Liu Wenwu had once been a Gu Immortal seedling of the Liu family. He had sworn brotherhood with Ouyang Bisang and Mo Shikuang and had once participated in the struggle for the Royal Court.
Liu Wenwu was already a Gu Immortal now, and with his help, Ouyang Bisang had succeeded in ascending.
Liu Wenwu understood what Ouyang Bisang meant. He smiled gently. "Second Brother, rest easy. With me here, I guarantee you'll be safe."
Ouyang Bisang didn't even have the strength to nod. At the words, he closed his eyes and fell unconscious on the spot, showing his absolute trust in Liu Wenwu.
"Big Brother! See, Second Brother has ascended successfully. I can do it too! When will you help me, so I can give it a try?" Mo Shikuang's eyes burned with envy, his expression restless.
Liu Wenwu smiled helplessly. "Third Brother, don't be so hasty. You saw your Second Brother's condition with your own eyes. Ascending is extremely dangerous. He nearly failed completely because the Three Qi fell out of balance."
"Moreover, relying on me alone to counter a tribulation of ascension, which could take on infinite forms, is far from reliable."
"This time, we were lucky. The tribulation fell within my ability to handle. But you must understand — there are countless tribulations, all manner of strange and bizarre things. The next time you attempt to ascend, you may not be so fortunate."
"This..." Mo Shikuang scratched at his hair.
Liu Wenwu continued to persuade him. "Wait a while longer. Once your Second Brother's cultivation stabilizes and he has his own Gu Immortal methods, the two of us can help you together. The chances will be much better then."
"Big Brother makes a fair point. I'll wait then." Mo Shikuang reluctantly changed his mind after hearing the advice.
What he didn't know was that Liu Wenwu sighed inwardly.
In the early days, Liu Wenwu had only been a Gu Master with limited vision. That was when he had sworn brotherhood with Mo Shikuang.
It was only after becoming a Gu Immortal that Liu Wenwu realized the world was dominated by humans, and all non-human races had to step aside.
Mo Shikuang's identity as a Mo Ren grew ever more sensitive.
Liu Wenwu helped Ouyang Bisang ascend to immortality. In return, Ouyang Bisang became a guest Supreme Elder of the Liu family — a supporter of Liu Wenwu and a member of his political faction.
Ouyang Bisang was a pure-blooded human, yet the other factions within the Liu family would still seize the opportunity to attack him: "You, Liu Wenwu, have Gu Masters in the Liu family you could be nurturing. Why spend your efforts on an outsider?"
And if Mo Shikuang were to ascend under Liu Wenwu's help and become yet another member of his political faction, things would be even worse.
It would give the other factions an even greater handle against him!
Sometimes, Liu Wenwu rather envied the Ten Great Ancient Sects of Central Continent.
The Supreme Elders of those ancient sects would often establish entirely new sects under their own names, recruiting and splitting up Central Continent's resource points. If they were fortunate enough to nurture a Gu Immortal, that person would become their capable subordinate and partner.
This approach was also one of the clever policies by which the Ten Great Ancient Sects maintained control over Central Continent.
But such methods were impossible within the super clans. Secretly splitting off branches was a grave taboo.
In Giant Sun Immortal Venerable's previous life, he had proposed the idea of "all under heaven as one family" — a vision of grand unification.
Hua Benku of the Eastern Sea, Mu Huai of Central Continent, Ouyang Bisang of Northern Plains...
The super powers possessed deep foundations and intimate knowledge of the secrets of immortal ascension. As a result, their respective Gu Immortal seedlings ascended one after another.
Southern Border.
"This is bad!" Yi Peng's face turned dark as he watched the three qi spheres — heaven, earth, and humanity — gradually lose their balance.
The Gu Master Yi Chong, whose ascension was underway within the qi spheres, failed. When the three qi spheres dissipated, he had been sliced nearly into jerky, with his limbs gone entirely, his flesh a bloody ruin.
Others could help one through a tribulation, but the harmonization of the Three Qi had to be accomplished by the Gu Master alone. Others were willing but powerless.
"Sigh. You were far too consumed by the opportunity to emulate nature. I told you long ago not to be so greedy!" Yi Peng descended to Yi Chong's side and let out a regretful sigh.
Yi Chong did not move. After a few breaths, he was dead.
More than half a month later.
In an unnamed valley in Central Continent, Ben Duoyi successfully ascended.
"Finally, I've become a Sixth Transformation Gu Immortal." His expression was complex — there was excitement and joy, but also a great deal of regret.