Trading Gu
Miao Ming Shen, host of the convention, was meant to trade last. Fang Yuan’s arrival as a newcomer bumps him to second-to-last. Fang Yuan reads it as proof of skill with people: Miao Ming Shen gives up an early slot for the room’s sake. ch. 1298
Fang Yuan’s attention stays on Miao Ming Shen’s rank seven divination tortoise shell Gu. He holds methods too dangerous to use, since they demand leaving no survivors, and his list of enemies, Shadow Sect, Heavenly Court, Longevity Heaven, and now Old Ancestor Xue Hu, keeps growing. Only past rank nine could he act openly. Rank seven Fang Yuan stays disguised, cultivating in secret. ch. 1298
His Wu Yi Hai disguise has a flaw. He cannot fight as Wu Yi Hai, since he is not really him. Soul-searching Wu Yi Hai turned up three transformations, a coral, a seagull, and a horned divine tortoise, the same tough-shelled ancient desolate beast Wu Yi Hai used to defend himself in the regional wall battle. Wu Yi Hai’s aperture is a sea of three lines led by horned divine tortoise, silent coral, and white letter blue feather seagull. Fang Yuan skips the usual study a transformation path Gu Immortal needs, since dream realms and tribulations already raise his attainment directly. ch. 1298
The divination tortoise, a wisdom path ancient desolate beast, defends against deduction, and its location is hard enough to deduce that many Gu Immortals cannot find it. Fang Yuan judges the Gu would be very useful to him, and, transformed into one himself as a killer move, extremely useful, since it would help him greatly while traveling. To others the Gu might be useless. Alone it only defends the back, and its deduction defense is weaker than other methods. Fang Yuan is different: already extremely famous across the five regions, his fake identity along with him. ch. 1298
Immortal Gu trade only by exchange, and value depends completely on the holder: a huge feeding price to one, a treasure to another. The room murmurs at the early trade but stays seated. Miao Ming Shen only smiles, having expected this: the room’s one transformation path Gu Immortal is Chu Ying, the identity Fang Yuan wears, and even he may not care. Such immortals hold two or three forms unless they own change form Immortal Gu, the path’s essence, which opens any form. What Miao Ming Shen wants is the prestige an early trade brings his convention. ch. 1298
The room watches in surprise as Fang Yuan stands, and Miao Ming Shen, slightly dazed, breaks into a wider smile. Miao Ming Shen has little use for the Gu and will take anything. Yet Immortal Gu still buys only Immortal Gu. Fang Yuan offers flying bear strength Immortal Gu, and Miao Ming Shen agrees at once, prompting Fang Yuan to realize why this lone immortal does so well in Eastern Sea’s Gu Immortal world: several other Gu Immortals stay loyal to him all the same. When Fang Yuan admits the Gu is only rank six, the room turns grim: divination tortoise shell is transformation path, still strong, while strength path declines, and a rank six Gu cannot match a rank seven. ch. 1298
