Chapter 1274

Fang Yuan wants to trade affection Immortal Gu for one that suits him better, but no transaction is possible here. Reverse Flow River disables the information path methods a trade needs, and Gu worms hibernate through it. Bi Chen Tian has no chips and no guarantee of a later chance. Snowy Mountain blessed land is gone and Edge Link Camp destroyed, so another fight would only push Central Continent’s group deeper into disadvantage. A Central Continent group already barely able to defend itself would flee once it escapes the river, while Fang Yuan might trade the Gu elsewhere or set an impossible price. Unable to talk him into giving it up, Bi Chen Tian lets his killing intent rise, reasoning his rank eight foundation should not lose to a rank seven. He swims at Fang Yuan with open hostility, and Fang Yuan, sneering inwardly, charges to meet him, which Bi Chen Tian mistakes for a brainless battle maniac’s eagerness. ^{ch. 1274}

Both have extraordinary bodies and close the distance quickly. Bi Chen Tian, a wood path Gu Immortal, blocks all three of Fang Yuan’s punches, shocked at their strength and left with a numb arm, and the two grapple on, Fang Yuan’s whole body a weapon. Bi Chen Tian starts on the back foot but soon holds even, his rarely used close combat skill returning under real battle. Fang Yuan is just as practiced, having spent years as a mortal Gu Master before becoming a Gu Immortal. Dodging logs and beasts in the fast-moving river, the two spend tens of rounds mostly swimming, and neither can do anything decisive to the other. ^{ch. 1274}

Bi Chen Tian is stunned that a rank seven matches him: grass python Immortal Gu’s huge strength, wood armor’s defensive dao marks, a wood heart and green blood for healing, and a rank eight’s accumulated dao marks should not leave him merely even. What resists him is the sovereign immortal body. It is refined from a Gu worm, not born human. Fang Yuan’s own dao mark accumulation already surpasses most rank sevens, and his body closes the remaining gap. In the fighting he had wanted to test whether he could kill a rank eight, and he learns he was overly optimistic. Judging he cannot kill Bi Chen Tian, and unwilling to stall when his goal is killing Ying Wu Xie, Fang Yuan decides to retreat. ^{ch. 1274}

Bi Chen Tian will not let him go. He hopes to hold him until companions arrive to encircle him, because affection Immortal Gu is still with Fang Yuan. Cornered when a floating beast corpse slows him, Fang Yuan turns to fight, holds the Gu in Bi Chen Tian’s path to force two flaws, kicks his stomach to drive out his air, then clamps him away from the surface. Bi Chen Tian twists free with a fish-like maneuver and ends up above Fang Yuan, an escape showing a rank eight foundation with no weaknesses, and underwater he slightly surpasses Fang Yuan himself. ^{ch. 1274}