Chapter 1916

At the Merit Obelisk, Fang Yuan and Shen Cong Sheng see that tomorrow is the last of their three hundred days. Fang Yuan’s merit points top the board, a huge amount, and Miao Ming Shen’s group and Shen Cong Sheng’s group have gathered considerable points too. Fang Yuan regrets that not all the secrets of Dragon Whale Paradise were explored. Among them are where the black fire and the heavenly spine came from, and what Paradise Earth Immortal Venerable’s true intent was. ^{ch. 1916}

Shen Cong Sheng says the secrets must wait for a later visit, and they have all exchanged for the title that lets them sense the blue dragon whale when it returns. Fang Yuan notes that Miao Ming Shen found the whale’s location through a title an unknown person quietly transferred to him, and very few titles can be transferred. Another title lets a Gu Immortal teleport within a hundred thousand li on leaving. Fang Yuan had lied about this to Miao Ming Shen’s group, but it exists. ^{ch. 1916}

Then every mission vanishes from the board except one ultimate mission: leave with the blue dragon whale and successfully return. It has no time limit, and completing it earns the qualification to become Merit Obelisk Lord and keep one’s merit points. Fang Yuan regrets that this is the way to own the rank eight Immortal Gu House, but he cannot even complete the super mission, and a rank eight Gu Immortal would have little hope. No one has ever succeeded, since the Merit Obelisk is unowned. Waiting indefinitely risks Heavenly Court completely repairing fate Gu, so he declines. Fang Yuan infers that anyone who has not accepted the ultimate mission loses all remaining merit points on leaving, so all must spend as many as they can. ^{ch. 1916}

The next day Fang Yuan, Shen Cong Sheng and Shen Shang appear in Eastern Sea by three white lights, and everyone has given up the ultimate mission. Miao Ming Shen’s group still has reservations about Fang Yuan and leaves apart, while Ren Xiu Ping and Tong Hua leave with Shen clan and are completely tied to its ship. The three scout for the blue dragon whale and find nothing, suspecting an illusion of Paradise Earth Immortal Venerable’s method. The Gu Immortals never saw the whale initiate contact, nor even its true appearance. Nobody knows when it appears or vanishes. Fang Yuan sees that his plan to obtain both the whale and the Merit Obelisk was only a dream. ^{ch. 1916}

He compares the paradise to Crazed Demon Cave, which Limitless Demon Venerable made, and suspects a link between its insanity causing sounds and the black fire. The many insane beasts of the paradise, such as the tiger king salamander he killed, have nearly the same problem as Shen Shang, apart from the black fire. Shen Shang, even with black fire on him, went insane only for a time and suppressed it with his immense human path foundation and dao marks. Fang Yuan judges him likely the first of the five regions in human path, and a possible trouble for Heavenly Court in the fate battle. Fang Yuan gains the most from the expedition. ^{ch. 1916}

Alone, Fang Yuan returns to qi sea as Qi Sea Ancestor and meets Wu Shuai guarding the large formation. Wu Shuai went to Southern Border to trade dream realms with Chi clan, but Chi Qu You raised the price and Wu Shuai refused it. Wu Yong learned of the lost dream realms and confronted Chi Qu You, who denied everything but had to end the transactions for now, so Wu Shuai returned to Eastern Sea. The world is in a bad state. Wu Yong’s influence grows in Southern Border and he consolidates the Southern Alliance, while Chi Qu You faces much suspicion. In Western Desert, clone Fang Di Chang faces a tough predicament, as a blood path great expert causes chaos and victimizes Fang clan, and a crafty immemorial desolate beast ravages Fang clan’s ice-fire desert. Li Xiao Bai progresses smoothly in Profound Literature grotto-heaven, but Zhan Bu Du’s life is at risk in Beast Calamity grotto-heaven. ^{ch. 1916}