Old Ancestor Canyang’s fire had subdued the crowd of demons, sending Pi Shui Han fleeing far away.
Fang Yuan sensed the danger and couldn’t help but feel the urge to retreat. Naturally, he halted his actions.
Zizai Shusheng, a Seventh Transformation combatant, also didn’t act rashly. Fang Yuan’s earlier handling of the Chasing Life Fire had elevated his opinion of him further. He considered that he himself had only survived the ordeal thanks to a thousand resolutions, and this made him feel Fang Yuan was even more unfathomable.
Especially with two black-robed Gu Immortals, Hei Loulan and Li Shan Xianzi, still by Fang Yuan’s side, Zizai Shusheng suppressed his *desire to act*, merely watching Fang Yuan’s side.
The meaning was perfectly clear: he would wait quietly for Fang Yuan and the other two to make a move.
For a moment, the sky above the Ruined Bat Corpse Mountain fell silent, while inside the ruined palace, the curses and accusations never ceased.
The eight Gu Immortals of the Eastern Clan were unable to move their bodies but retained the ability to speak.
Ever since Dongfang Changfan began his possession, they had been screaming in pain, roaring and questioning him.
Dongfang Changfan’s Star Will ignored them completely.
Seeing the outside world settle down and the demons temporarily at a loss, he smiled faintly and said: «Finally, the opportune moment has arrived. Possession and rebirth will happen right now. Old Ancestor Canyang, I have already explained the previous major steps to you in detail. The critical moment has come. I must trouble you to take up the defense.»
Hesitation at the decisive moment only brings greater trouble. Once Star Will made up his mind, there was no more hesitation!
Anomaly arose again. The expansive blood curtain that had been held up suddenly formed a huge vortex on its surface.
From within the vortex, a mass of blood energy gestated and took shape. It suddenly exploded, transforming into a colossal pillar of blood light that shot straight down, striking dead center on the Illusory Array and enveloping Dongfang Yuliang’s body.
Old Ancestor Canyang’s eyes widened, and he cursed: «Damn it!»
Only upon seeing this change did Old Ancestor Canyang realize: the blood curtain wasn’t purely for defense. It was a purification process. The eight strands of Immortal Essence extracted seemed like eight pieces of metal melted together. Then, using the attacks of the demonic path Gu Immortals above to temper and refine it. To eliminate the will and aura of the eight Gu Immortals from the essence, and finally infuse it into the target of the possession.
Dongfang Changfan’s scheme was exquisitely deep, calculating even the demonic path Gu Immortals. Even Fang Yuan had been kept in the dark, used by Dongfang Changfan. Turned into a blacksmith.
Now that the blood energy was flowing backward, filling Dongfang Yuliang’s body, the blood curtain naturally thinned. Once weakened, its defensive power immediately dropped. With the heavy responsibility of his sect upon his shoulders and a massive incentive before him, could Old Ancestor Canyang possibly refuse to step up and take the burden?
Sure enough, upon seeing the blood curtain weaken, the demonic path Gu Immortals all perked up.
«It seems the previous attacks were effective!»
«There’s hope of breaking through the blood curtain. Everyone, attack together!»
The immortals launched their attacks one after another. Countless strikes rained down like a torrential downpour.
The blood curtain had to simultaneously channel energy inward and withstand the onslaught. Instantly, it appeared strained, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Old Ancestor Canyang had no choice but to act, unleashing a killing move of the Immortal Path—Last Glimmer!
A light barrier rose outside the blood curtain, as if condensed from the last rays of a setting sun, so faint it was nearly ethereal. Countless attacks pierced through this barrier. Although they still hit the blood curtain, their power was less than half of what they had been before.
This was precisely the function of «Last Glimmer.» Not to block everything entirely, but to weaken the vast majority of the attacks.
Even a killing move of the Immortal Path like «Flowing River» could have its effectiveness reduced by thirty percent. Now, most of the demonic path Gu Immortals were using mortal path killing moves. Weakened by Old Ancestor Canyang like this, they seemed loud but ultimately harmless.
A look of joy appeared on Dongfang Changfan’s face.
In this way, the situation was incredibly advantageous for him.
The Void Transformation Array continuously extracted the eight strands of Immortal Essence, blending them together to form the blood curtain.
The blood curtain endured the attacks, and the foreign will and aura contained within were gradually eradicated. Then, it was converted into pure blood energy and infused into Dongfang Yuliang’s body.
Dongfang Yuliang had originally been a Fifth Transformation Gu Master, with a Peak Stage Empty Orifice. At this moment, his soul had already been completely cleared out by Dongfang Changfan. Dongfang Changfan’s soul now controlled the young body, focusing all its attention on the Empty Orifice within.
Under the influx of blood energy, the Empty Orifice was violently burst open.
Dongfang Yuliang’s aura, however, didn’t fall but rose instead.
An astonishing transformation was occurring—transcending the mortal, charging towards becoming a Gu Immortal!
Crack!
In the sky outside, a sudden bolt of lightning flashed across the clear blue.
Immediately after, within a few breaths, dark clouds rolled across the previously clear high sky, covering thousands of miles around.
The earth trembled and roared, as if millions of cattle herds were migrating and trampling the ground, kicking up countless clouds of dust.
Heaven and Earth’s two energies were stirred, and Heavenly Tribulation and Earthly Calamity formed!
«Someone is actually attempting to ascend to immortality in there?!»
«What exactly is going on?»
The Gu Immortals hastily stopped their attacks, baffled.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Bolt after bolt of lightning struck down from the high sky. The lightning was a blue-gold color, and the killing power it contained made the demonic path Gu Immortals’ expressions change drastically as they hurriedly retreated.
«Incredible! This is the Celestial Tribulation Lightning!»
«How unlucky is this mortal down there to be so disfavored by Heaven and Earth? He just attempted ascension and already encounters such a powerful natural disaster!»
«And what is this Earthly Calamity?»
The immortals all retreated to the edges, gazing intently from afar.