Chapter 1302

Fang Yuan returns to Wu clan’s headquarters as Wu Yi Hai and hands back the Immortal Gu he had borrowed from the clan. Wu Yong, now first supreme elder, asks whether the Eastern Sea trip was fruitful. Fang Yuan answers that his gains were great, a very realistic joy on his face. Wu Yong nods, satisfied. ^{ch. 1302}

His gains include perseverance Immortal Gu, the title of Reverse Flow River Lord, and battle strength enough to fight rank eight Gu Immortals unscathed. Liu Guan Yi’s name is now known across the world. An Eastern Sea trading convention also brought him divination tortoise shell Immortal Gu and a rank six day Gu. ^{ch. 1302}

Fang Yuan asks, politely, to return to the Gu formation to cultivate. Wu Yong, very satisfied and very pleased with his attitude, agrees to arrange it within days and tells him to rest first. Fang Yuan thanks him and returns to his home on Bear Mountain. ^{ch. 1302}

Privately, Wu Yong keeps Wu Yi Hai from roaming or building reputation. Bloodline matters greatly in a clan, and Wu Yi Hai’s rank in it, second only to Wu Yong’s, is very sensitive. Allying with an ambitious clan like Qiao clan would give Wu Yong a huge headache. Wu Yong’s own hold on the clan, so soon after Wu Du Xiu’s death, is not yet stable. Fang Yuan, very aware of this, is unworried about eventually returning to the super Gu formation. ^{ch. 1302}

He keeps cultivating instead of resting and turns away every clan Gu Immortal who visits him. This pleases Wu Yong, who rewards him with a large amount of immortal materials. His immortal aperture cannot be placed down; opening it for heaven and earth qi raises a huge commotion from its deep foundation. Reverse Flow River really consumes a great deal of that qi, so he expects he will need Yi Tian Mountain later to replenish it. It is a burden, but a good one. ^{ch. 1302}

At the mountain’s peak, Fang Yuan transforms into a divination tortoise, an ancient desolate beast tied to wisdom path. The transformation turns his transformation path dao marks into wisdom path, a huge gain. His wisdom path deduction works at least several times more efficiently. ^{ch. 1302}

After ten or so days, he deduces the divination tortoise transformation killer move. He refines it around two cores, divination tortoise shell Immortal Gu and change form Immortal Gu, adding Gu to fill it out. The finished version is complete enough for battle, unlike his earlier incomplete one. His other killer moves, ancient sword dragon transformation, reverse flow protection seal and myriad self, cannot be used in a fight. Divination tortoise transformation covers that flaw. ^{ch. 1302}

Inside his aperture, Fang Yuan tests Landscape as Before on Reverse Flow River. The effect barely works, a clear contrast with the incredible results the same Immortal Gu had on Luo Po Valley and Dang Hun Mountain. ^{ch. 1302}

He deduces why: Dang Hun Mountain and Luo Po Valley once belonged to Spectral Soul Demon Venerable, creator of sovereign immortal fetus Gu. Shadow Sect had modified both domains, letting select Immortal Gu, Landscape as Before included, work fully there without dao mark conflict. Shadow Sect owned Landscape as Before and Man as Before, passed to Tai Bai Yun Sheng through Purple Mountain True Monarch. Reverse Flow River was never held or modified by Shadow Sect. The river resists Landscape as Before, its vast number of dao marks weakening the Gu’s effect. Only Fang Yuan’s status as the river’s Lord keeps that resistance from striking back at him. ^{ch. 1302}

Rank eight existences drained much of the river, which recovers slowly. Fang Yuan decides that reverse flow protection seal can defend himself but not the aperture against an immemorial year beast. The worry ties back to Years Flow Like Water, the sealed rank eight Immortal Gu he still cannot unseal despite his battle strength surging greatly. He keeps cultivating, waiting on Wu Yong’s arrangement, until a minor mishap arrives a few days later. ^{ch. 1302}