Heavenly Court.
Qin Dingling hovered high in the sky, her expression stern and grave beyond measure.
This killing move, she had been brewing for three entire days and nights.
"Strike!" The next instant, she finally unleashed it, releasing a majestic golden radiance. The golden light took the shape of a five-tailed peacock that let out a soft cry and soared skyward.
When the golden light reached a certain point in the sky, it suddenly exploded, scattering into countless shimmering fragments.
Within those fragments, a massive passage faintly materialized.
Fairy Ziwei, standing beside Qin Dingling, immediately paled. "There really is such a passage!"
Qin Dingling's seven orifices slowly bled, her body swayed unsteadily, and her face turned deathly pale as she retreated to rest.
"You've worked hard." Long Gong was also present, and even he was visibly moved.
After catching her breath, Qin Dingling sighed. "That was close! If I hadn't recently soul-searched Zhao Lianyun and obtained fragments of the True Inheritance of the Fortune of All Beings from Juyang Immortal Venerable, my own attainments alone would never have been enough to discover this arrangement of his."
Long Gong gave a cold snort. "This Juyang Immortal Venerable harbored ill intentions. He feigned a visit to the Heavenly Court all those years ago, but was actually setting up this hidden trump card. This Fortune Path True Inheritance is truly profound — the entire Heavenly Court never detected it. However, the Heavenly Will still favors our Court. At the critical moment, Fairy Qin awakened and saw through Juyang Immortal Venerable's scheme."
Fairy Ziwei took a deep breath. "With this kind of arrangement, Juyang Immortal Venerable has created a direct passage into the Heavenly Court. Once activated, Gu Immortals from Eternal Heaven could charge straight in."
"Indeed. This is precisely the style of those Northern Plains barbarians," Long Gong said.
Fairy Ziwei's eyes gleamed. "However, now that we've discovered it, we can make our own counter-arrangements. We could even turn his own scheme against him and lay an ambush against the Northern Plains. This would be of tremendous help for the Central Continent Gu Refining Conference in a few years."
Qin Dingling had rendered an enormous service, yet her expression remained somber. She sighed. "Juyang Immortal Venerable possesses three True Inheritances — Self Fortune, Fortune of All Beings, and Heaven and Earth Fortune. To counter him, I specifically cultivated the Fortune of All Beings path and trained bitterly for all these years, believing I had nearly caught up to him. Only now do I realize that the gap between us is still so vast."
Fairy Ziwei consoled her. "Venerables of every era cannot be measured by ordinary standards. Senior, your attainments in the Fortune Path are already a blessing for the Heavenly Court, filling a historical gap. From now on, the Heavenly Court will have a respectable Fortune Path True Inheritance to call its own."
Qin Dingling said, "To guard against unforeseen circumstances, I have already placed my Fortune Path True Inheritance into the Immortal Treasury. But it would still be best to obtain Juyang Immortal Venerable's own True Inheritance. The pity is that while Zhao Lianyun personally witnessed the Fortune of All Beings True Inheritance in the Royal Court Blessed Land, her perspective was limited, and she only retained fragments. As for Ma Hongyun — he was blessed with extraordinary fortune and certainly knew far more. But unfortunately, he was captured by Fang Yuan."
At the mention of Fang Yuan, Fairy Ziwei's brow immediately furrowed. "Speaking of which, Fang Yuan has not shown himself for quite some time. Our side has established tight surveillance within the River of Time, yet he has never appeared. He clearly possesses the Ten-Thousand-Year Flying Chariot, yet he seems to have little enthusiasm for the Red Lotus True Inheritance. Is it that we simply cannot detect his whereabouts, or is he..."
At the mention of the Red Lotus True Inheritance, Long Gong's brow also creased slightly. He spoke in a low voice. "Then let us prepare for the worst — assume that Fang Yuan has already obtained the Red Lotus True Inheritance."
"To subdue Fang Yuan, in my view, the key still lies with Gu Yue Fang Zheng," Qin Dingling said with a faint smile.
Unlike in his previous life, Gu Yue Fang Zheng had received the utmost attention and had long since entered the sights of Long Gong and Fairy Ziwei.
With the arrangements of the Heavenly Court and a massive reallocation of resources, Gu Yue Fang Zheng's strength was advancing rapidly.
Immortal Path Killing Move — Blood Gradually Cools!
The three desolate beasts slowed their movements more and more, until they finally froze solid and collapsed to the ground, groaning weakly.
The victor, Gu Yue Fang Zheng, hovered in the air, gazing down at the three desolate beasts lying at his feet. Clad in a gray robe, not a hair out of place.
"The Blood Path killing move is indeed formidable." Zhao Lianyun stood right beside him, shoulder to shoulder.
Fang Zheng cupped his fists. "I have Fairy Lingyuan to thank. Without her help, I wouldn't have had so many opportunities for real combat."
Zhao Lianyun smiled. "We share the same goal, so naturally we should work together in good faith, don't you think?"
Just as in his previous life, in this life too Zhao Lianyun had taken the initiative to befriend Fang Zheng.
Zhao Lianyun loved Ma Hongyun, yet Ma Hongyun had been killed by Fang Yuan's hand. The latter was dead, but his soul still existed, and the possibility of revival remained.
"The Heavenly Court reveres Heavenly Will and has no desire for Hongyun's resurrection. If he were to rise from the dead, wouldn't that defy fate itself!"
"Though I have become the current Fairy of Lingyuan Studio, the Heavenly Court still treats me as nothing more than a chess piece to be used at will."
"That woman, Qin Dingling, soul-searched me at her leisure — that was proof enough. In this regard, Fang Zheng and I are in the same position. We are both pawns; it's just that the Heavenly Court values Fang Zheng somewhat more."
"So if I want to revive Hongyun, I can only rely on myself and find an opportunity!"
Zhao Lianyun had her own calculations.
Zhao Lianyun understood her situation. Fang Zheng was no longer naive either — having experienced much, he too understood his own position and comprehended why Zhao Lianyun was so eager to befriend him.
Fang Zheng did not dislike Zhao Lianyun. Their situations were alike, and in his heart he felt a measure of sympathy born of shared hardship.
As the two conversed, Gu Yue Fang Zheng had already stored the three desolate beasts into his Immortal Orifice.
The three desolate beasts were not dead. Once the Blood Gradually Cools killing move was calibrated properly, it became an excellent technique for capturing enemies alive.