Chapter 1333

After the banquet Fang Yuan and Chi Shang become friends. They visit each other often over the following days. Fang Yuan, an old schemer with attitude Gu in his possession, has little trouble managing the guileless Chi Shang, and the two bond over formation path, a subject Chi Shang engages given Fang Yuan’s own standing as a quasi grandmaster. Fang Yuan explains that his study of the path predates his transformation path cultivation; though his attainment does not rise from these talks, his understanding does, filling gaps of huge use to him. ^{ch. 1333}

Chi Shang tells him that Gu formations are formation path’s version of killer moves, with only slight differences in detail: they last longer and cost a Gu Master less mental energy once set. Asked formation path’s essence, Chi Shang cites his teacher Chi Qu You: creating environments. The claim leaves Fang Yuan deeply enlightened, since it is exactly what his coiling thread caves’ Gu formation does. Great grandmasters, Chi Shang adds, can even turn mortal Gu into an immortal Gu formation by drawing on a location’s own abundant dao marks. ^{ch. 1333}

Fang Yuan follows up with letters to Qiao Si Liu praising Chi Shang’s shocking talent and incredible ingenuity, and Chi Shang returns the favor with letters of his own, praising Fang Yuan’s rare double attainment in both paths. Qiao Si Liu, reading both, finds her suitors have praised each other more than her, and writes back praise of her own anyway. The transformation of two enemies into friends leaves everyone watching deeply shocked. ^{ch. 1333}

In Southern Border’s Plunder Shadow Earth Trench, one of the region’s most dangerous places, an insane purple haired old man collapses and crawls before recovering his clarity. Ying Wu Xie greets him as Lord Purple. This is Purple, one of Shadow Sect’s four survivors, who vanished after the battle at Reverse Flow River and resurfaced deep in the trench. He asks to be called Purple Mountain True Monarch from now on and asks for a report. ^{ch. 1333}

Southern Border’s politics are tracking their plan, Ying Wu Xie reports. Chi Shang and Wu Yi Hai never had the intense conflict expected, though, becoming friends instead. Purple Mountain True Monarch, slightly surprised, calls Wu Yi Hai interesting for his dual attainment, though Wu Yong has sent him back to the super Gu formation regardless. Ying Wu Xie notes Wu Yi Hai’s ambition, pursuing Qiao Si Liu without full backing from her clan, and asks if it can be used. Purple Mountain True Monarch judges they know too little of him yet, and turns their plan instead to Wu Yong. ^{ch. 1333}

Wu clan is Southern Border’s foremost righteous force. Its fall would throw the region into huge political turmoil they could exploit to break the super Gu formation and save their main body. Shadow Sect, it turns out, already sits behind much of Wu clan’s troubles. ^{ch. 1333}

Bai Ning Bing appears, cold and blunt even toward a rank eight. Her fearlessness comes from a new alliance she struck with Ying Wu Xie and the others as equals during Fang Yuan’s earlier pursuit, and from Purple Mountain True Monarch’s constant insanity, which has eroded her respect for him. She objects that the four of them alone could not take a super Gu formation even lightly defended, and that their own fighting strength is unreliable besides. He answers that unrest alone will not do it, only thin the defenses, so they need more hands and will recruit. Ying Wu Xie, surprised, asks whether Southern Border hides forces he has not counted, since Shadow Sect’s local strength sits heavily crippled and any recruit would need to outclass an ordinary rank six. Purple Mountain True Monarch only asks in return whether the two of them know why his insanity comes and goes. ^{ch. 1333}