Quasi-Great Grandmaster
Young Thieving Heaven steps onto the stage in bandages, since his heavy refinement injuries have not healed, and Sha Xiao forces him to keep competing. His opponent, a clan elder’s grandson, retreats in extreme caution and calls the injuries a disguise, and the crowd agrees. The presiding Gu Master’s investigative Gu confirms the injuries are real, but Fang Yuan’s earlier deceptions leave the others afraid to believe it. Fang Yuan regains control and activates the rank two sneak attack Gu to test it. The blue baby phantom strikes despite the defensive Gu the grandson had already activated, and he coughs blood and faints as Fang Yuan wins. Silence falls over the crowd. ch. 1501
The spectators call it a dirty trick. Even the rank two Gu Masters are visibly moved. In the following matches the youth uses sneak attack Gu again and again, every opponent faints, and he takes first place. The crowd resents the hidden trump card, but the clan’s higher-ups fix on the Gu. They wonder how a penniless commoner got such a top tier worm, and one reports that he was exiled earlier this year, so he very likely obtained it then from some senior’s inheritance. The clan leader excitedly says that arming the clan with it on a large scale would make its strength soar and win larger oases. ch. 1501
Fang Yuan expected this, because he chose to use the Gu openly, wanting to see how the dream realm changes through his decisions. He reasons that the higher-ups will want to mass produce it, that rank two suits mass production, and that they want the recipe more than the single worm. He therefore expects them to appease and recruit the youth rather than pressure him, since a pressured youth might die or hand over a tampered recipe. Offers soon arrive: invitations, money and goods, even daughters in marriage. Sha Xiao tells the youth to trade the recipe for large benefits, but the youth refuses outright, since many babies would be implicated. Sha Xiao then tells him to delay, since in a few days the youth will go to the pool to choose the winner’s reward. Reminded not to forget Sha Xiao’s instructions, the youth promises he will not. ch. 1501
After three days in the dream, the youth and seven others are led across the blockade to the pool, the clan’s most important resource area. It holds a natural spirit spring producing primeval stones, planted Gu materials, and underground caverns storing many Gu worms. As winner, he may choose a high quality Gu worm in a cavern. Sha Xiao excitedly announces a dense Immortal Gu aura, and Fang Yuan is somewhat shocked that the inheritance at the pool involves Gu Immortals. ch. 1501
Fang Yuan’s sight then turns dark as the dream realm corrodes his soul once more. His soul unknowingly leaves the dream realm, and he realizes he has passed the second stage. His theft path attainment has soared to quasi-great grandmaster, just a step before great grandmaster. This is a new personal record for him. Some of his paths are at grandmaster realm, yet his first life of five hundred years never produced such an accomplishment in a path. ch. 1501
