Chapter 508

Spectral Soul Demon Venerable, a Gu Master at the apex of rank nine peak stage, once named Dang Hun mountain the best place to strengthen the soul and Luo Po Valley the best to refine it. Fang Yuan knows how huge a help these sacred lands can be, since guts Gu raised his soul to thousand man level in under half a year. Normal Gu Masters need about twenty years. Some geniuses aided by their clans or seniors can halve that. Guts Gu has no side-effects and extremely high efficiency, but Dang Hun mountain is dying under Immortal Gu Gruel Mud. ^{ch. 508}

Tempering the soul goes far slower, because the wolf soul Gu he uses are at most rank four and his search for a rank five one has been in vain. Second watch Gu, third watch Gu and the blessed land speed cultivation for others but not for him. His first vital Gu, Spring Autumn Cicada, is slowly recovering with time. Until he becomes a Gu Immortal, it hangs over his neck like an executioner’s blade. He feels an impulse to switch to soul path, since saving Dang Hun mountain and winning Luo Po Valley would give him a huge foundation. Luo Po Valley is far away, though, and with a battle near he decides to save the mountain first and keep his strength and enslavement path foundation. ^{ch. 508}

One shadow sword expert was able to obstruct him, and amid a war for the Imperial Court involving all northern plains he still appears insignificant. His attack is strong but his defense weak. People like Mo Shi Kuang and Bian Si Xuan getting close would be trouble. Cunning Gentleman Sun Shi Han, it could be said, is doing him a small favor by keeping him behind the scenes. ^{ch. 508}

In the following days he nurtures his second aperture, tries to refine nauseous crying baby Gu, and directs Little Hu Immortal in Hu Immortal blessed land. Thanks to the air bubble fish, starlight fireflies there have tripled, with fifty to sixty more starlight firefly Gu than first assessed. Pink rabbits multiply even after he has water wolves moved west, so a large group goes up for sale in treasure yellow heaven. On his instructions, Little Hu Immortal secretly helps the hairy men contesting the south with the rockmen beat a stoneman tribe, and sells the captives to Immortal Crane Sect. The sect keeps failing to buy guts Gu, and Fang Zheng, sent to negotiate, is refused an audience with Fang Yuan. Another batch of Gruel Mud sold brings a further remnant recipe, and the earlier recipes resell for eleven immortal essence stones. Repeated sales cut a recipe’s treasure light. ^{ch. 508}

After three days of confrontation, Dong Fang Yu Liang personally writes a war challenge to Hei Lou Lan. Sun Shi Han reports that Dong Fang tribe’s rear army is still five thousand li away, and urges waiting until Hei tribe’s own rear army converges, so that Hei strength greatly surpasses the enemy’s. Hei Lou Lan holds a grudge from his youth, when he drooled over Dong Fang Qing Yu and was taught a lesson by Dong Fang Yu Liang. He really wants revenge but is not easily controlled by emotion. Told by Wang tribe leader that his rear army is about three days away, he writes back moving the date four days later. The reply enrages Dong Fang alliance’s higher-ups, but Dong Fang Yu Liang calmly says it was expected and that his plan is ready. ^{ch. 508}

On the day of battle, Hei Lou Lan, Fang Yuan, Hao Ji Liu and the Wang, Fang and Ye tribe leaders sit with other experts in the main tent on a hill-sized twin-headed rhino. Sun Shi Han stands behind Hei Lou Lan as his trusted aide. Across the field Dong Fang Yu Liang sits in a main tent on a white cloud, his experts looking no weaker than Hei Lou Lan’s side. Hei Lou Lan calls the battle the first step toward owning the Imperial Court and asks who will make the first challenge. He sends Pan Ping. Before Pan Ping can agree, Tang Miao Ming of the enemy challenges the Wolf King, and the Hei side suspects a plan. Everyone turns to Fang Yuan to await his answer. ^{ch. 508}