Chapter 1169

Lightning crackles, and Ma Hong Yun faints at once, his body still shaking though he has lost consciousness. The refinement has failed. Success would have left nothing of him but a lump of golden luck essence. Lady Wan Shou, who performed the refinement toward fortune rivalling heaven Immortal Gu, pales and suffers a heavy backlash injury, though she tells an anxious Old Ancestor Xue Hu she needs only half a day to recover. Rank eight Immortal Gu rarely succeeds on a first attempt, and even Hei Fan failed repeatedly refining years flow like water Immortal Gu, so the two stay confident. Old Ancestor Xue Hu urges her to rest a few days and mentions a new storm brewing in Northern Plains, where Heavenly Lord Bai Zu and Chu Du remain deadlocked over Hei Fan grotto-heaven, news that lifts her spirits. She still declines a longer rest: the refinement path Gu formation, built by Sun Ming Lu mimicking Regret Pool, lasts only a day, so half a day is her limit before the rest goes to refining the Gu. ^{ch. 1169}

That night, five figures cross the moonlit grassland toward Iron Eagle blessed land: Fang Yuan, Hao Zhen, Chou Lao Wu, Li Si Chun and Immortal Wang. Once Hei tribe’s headquarters, the blessed land became Bai Zu tribe’s main base when Heavenly Lord Bai Zu took it over after that tribe was wiped out, and it now sits hidden in empty space. Fang Yuan admires Chu Du’s plan: half a month of secret preparation burst out at once, a blow that could force Heavenly Lord Bai Zu back to defend Iron Eagle blessed land and give up on Hei Fan grotto-heaven. Hao Zhen credits Chu Du with turning Bai Zu tribe’s internal conflict against it. Chou Lao Wu explains that Hei tribe’s Gu Immortals, absorbed into Bai Zu tribe and still ostracized for their bloodline, guard the outside resource points, leaving only Bai Zu’s own to hold the blessed land itself. That outside duty is far more dangerous than holding the blessed land, since Chu Sect’s hidden Gu Immortals can strike at any time. Li Si Chun gushes over darling Chu while Hao Zhen and Chou Lao Wu edge away, and Fang Yuan presses coldly for whoever holds a way in to act. ^{ch. 1169}

Li Si Chun turns his flattery on darling Liu instead, and when Fang Yuan tells him to get lost, he clutches his chest in mock heartbreak. Immortal Wang rises, unable to bear more of it, and Fang Yuan, trusting Chu Du rather than these strangers, had expected one of them to hold a way in. Immortal Wang transforms into the immemorial desolate beast heaven swallowing hound, snow white with four strong limbs and pale, pupil-less eyes. Li Si Chun names the form aloud, and Hao Zhen and Chou Lao Wu wonder if it means rank eight battle strength, but Fang Yuan judges it still only rank seven. The hound bites open a gap in space, and Fang Yuan and the rest see into Iron Eagle blessed land as alarmed Bai Zu Gu Immortals fly to block them. Immortal Wang returns to human form, pale and weakened. He says he must recuperate, leaving the rest up to them. ^{ch. 1169}

Fang Yuan stomps a huge pit and shoots in first. Bai Zu tribe’s rank six and seven Gu Immortals attack him fiercely. His strength path giant hand crushes their attacks but spends its force, and a Bai Zu Gu Immortal’s golden needles pierce through it toward Fang Yuan. He activates sword escape Immortal Gu, flying deep into the blessed land like a flying sword, shocking Bai Zu tribe’s Gu Immortals and his own companions alike. They had hoped he would draw the enemy’s fire instead. A single Bai Zu Gu Immortal chases him alone, while the rest stay to block Hao Zhen, Chou Lao Wu and Li Si Chun in a chaotic battle. Fang Yuan flies into the sky, his investigative methods already showing him traces left from Hei tribe’s earlier battle. ^{ch. 1169}