Chapter 1970

Lady Cold Ash flies out of Ice Crystal grotto-heaven first and is received by the two rank sevens from Soul Pacifying grotto-heaven. Night Heavenly Wolf Lord follows, and the two part, each leading a group home to their own grotto-heaven. Spectral Soul, lurking nearby, gives up hunting the soul beasts. Judging from its name and Lady Cold Ash’s soul path that Soul Pacifying grotto-heaven holds abundant soul path resources, he makes it his target. He decides to use the grotto-heaven forces of black and white heaven to assault other venerable forces such as Heavenly Court and Longevity Heaven. ^{ch. 1970}

Back in Night Wolf grotto-heaven, Night Heavenly Wolf Lord tells his Gu Immortals that Ice Crystal Immortal Monarch wants an alliance against the five regions. Gu Immortal Ye Zhi proposes that, as humans, they join the five regions instead. Night Heavenly Wolf Lord agrees, adding that allying with variant humans would mark them as spies of humanity. Ye Zhi then objects that Northern Plains is impossible, the other regions might refuse, and Ice Crystal Immortal Monarch would attack them. Night Heavenly Wolf Lord replies that this is why he agreed with Lady Cold Ash that their grotto-heavens will advance and retreat together. He judges Central Continent’s Heavenly Court the most appropriate region to join, to be contacted secretly first. Nobody dares object. ^{ch. 1970}

Heavenly Court failed to repair fate Gu, and though many areas remain in ruins, Central Great Hall is repaired, with Qin Ding Ling in charge. After Red Lotus’ goal was achieved, Duke Long died and Fang Yuan retreated. The three regions’ Gu Immortals pressed on until Primordial Origin Immortal Venerable’s method activated and weakened them once Limitless Demon Venerable stopped blocking it. Feng Jiu Ge had only helped Fang Yuan refine the Gu and did nothing against Heavenly Court, which recovered and struck back. The three regions’ Gu Immortals withdrew, and the first qi tide destabilized their immortal apertures and drove them from Central Continent. Demoralized after watching Fang Yuan refine destiny Gu, Heavenly Court stopped chasing them. With Duke Long dead and Fairy Zi Wei gone over to Spectral Soul, Heavenly Court decided Qin Ding Ling would lead. ^{ch. 1970}

A letter Gu arrives from Night Heavenly Wolf Lord, who will not fight beside the variant humans and wants to join the stronger side of the five regions. He writes of the variant humans’ ill intentions. Qin Ding Ling knows very little about him or Night Wolf grotto-heaven and cannot confirm from one Gu worm whether he is sincere. ^{ch. 1970}

Heavenly Court is at an unprecedented level of weakness. Its members with phantom apertures are more mobile than the Gu Immortals of black or white heaven, but cannot be sent out, since most have limited lifespans and Star Constellation’s will must be reinforced. A portion must hibernate in the immortal graveyard to keep Star Constellation from being completely assimilated with heaven’s will, which lowers Heavenly Court’s battle strength. Qin Ding Ling cannot make up her mind and misses Fairy Zi Wei, who with Old Man Zheng Yuan is enslaved by Spectral Soul and knows Heavenly Court’s secrets. Zhou Xiong Xin notes that the six rank eights who met in Ice Crystal grotto-heaven are only those of the black heaven above Central Continent, and volunteers to investigate the two heavens himself. Qin Ding Ling agrees and keeps up contact with Night Wolf grotto-heaven. ^{ch. 1970}

With the battle lost and the immortal graveyard destroyed by Fang Yuan, Heavenly Court decides to nurture new Gu Immortals regardless of cost, and Jun Shen Guang brings a list of seeds. It names Sun Yuan Hua, Xiao Qi Xing, Gu Ting and Wei Wu Shang for four sects, but Spirit Affinity House’s section is empty. Qin Ding Ling knows the nominee must be Feng Jin Huang, who is in an awkward position since Feng Jiu Ge betrayed Heavenly Court and went missing. She was Duke Long’s disciple and the future Great Dream Immortal Venerable, but after his death and the destruction of Fate she is no longer certain to be. Zhou Xiong Xin fears she may betray Heavenly Court like her father. The matter is left for the next discussion. ^{ch. 1970}