Chapter 565

Eighty-Eight True Yang Building’s collapse traumatizes the sacred palace, and countless people are worried, scared and helpless. The situation stabilizes soon after the first floor collapses. The aurora feeding the building stops shrinking and climbs again, faster than before, as though provoked. Several days later it thickens back into the building’s first floor, and Hei Lou Lan and the others enter it at once, their entry going smoothly. This greatly relieves Hei Lou Lan, and he gradually calms down. ^{ch. 565}

Eighty-Eight True Yang Building matters enormously to him: he needs to become a Gu Immortal to avenge his mother. As the possessor of one of the ten extreme physiques, the Great Strength True Martial physique, his only hope of becoming an immortal is a strength path Immortal Gu from the building. For humans to live, it is fine to lack strength or even wisdom, but not hope, and Hei Lou Lan regains his. His mood improves, and he plans his next breakthrough of the hundred rounds. The first floor has reformed, so the checkpoints have reset and his previous efforts have turned to smoke: he must overcome every round again. ^{ch. 565}

To Hei Pei and the other elders, the reset is very good news. One elder calls it joy after extreme sorrow, since another run through the rounds means even more rewards for the tribe. History shows very few Imperial Court winners cross every round, so the elders expect only to profit from the earlier ones. But the reset is bad news for Hei Lou Lan, who has only two ways to obtain a strength path Immortal Gu from the building. One is a high grade evaluation, entering the treasure room, and trading his bloodline identity for the Immortal Gu inside. The other is passing the final round of every floor, which can also grant an Immortal Gu. He lacks an equal treasure to trade, so only the second method is practical. ^{ch. 565}

Passing the last few rounds is extremely difficult, and redoing them after the reset wastes his precious time. Once their allotted time ends, they are expelled from Imperial Court blessed land. If he cannot obtain a strength path Immortal Gu before then, Hei Lou Lan will fail to avenge his mother and will also die. ^{ch. 565}

For this reason, Hei Lou Lan stubbornly holds his stance against others’ wishes and starts recruiting other tribes’ Gu Masters, completely opening Eighty-Eight True Yang Building. Everyone can now enter or exit free of charge. Other than Hei tribe’s elders, everyone in the sacred palace celebrates. ^{ch. 565}

Ye Lui Sang, tribe leader of Ye Lui tribe, is first to enter, his face glowing with joy as he praises Hei Lou Lan’s grand demeanour and says no other Lord of Imperial Court had done the same before. He had been a popular candidate to win the prior Imperial Court contest, backed by his tribe’s Gu Immortals, who even lent him a fire path Immortal Gu. But he lost, and to keep the Gu he sided with Hei Lou Lan. His group finally wins and succeeds in entering Imperial Court blessed land. As one of the super forces, he feels it a disgrace to be Hei tribe’s subordinate, and expects to be treated coldly, abandoned, or even punished when he returns to his tribe. He hopes good gains in the building will let him make up for his earlier mistake and return to his tribe with honor. ^{ch. 565}

Chang Biao, cold eyed, is also among the first to enter, resolving that Eighty-Eight True Yang Building will be his cornerstone to rise as long as Chang Shan Yin has not yet become an immortal. Sole Blade General Pan Ping goes with him as his companion. Previously at Xing Jiu mountain peak, Fang Yuan had openly seized an opportunity from Pan Ping, leaving him deeply indignant. Chang Biao learned of this and intentionally approached Pan Ping, and the two became partners. Hei Lou Lan sneers inwardly, calling the crowd his vanguards to broaden his own path, and watches the flow of people using his owner token. ^{ch. 565}

Once the flow of people thins, Tai Bai Yun Sheng, simple and aged in appearance, tall and sturdy, robed in white, appears at the sacred palace’s top floor. Hei Lou Lan greets him as “Old Sir Tai Bai,” and Tai Bai Yun Sheng answers, praising his mettle. He carries an elegant, leisurely manner, and since entry is no longer restricted by quota, he does not rush in, since any round rewarding a lifespan Gu will come later. The two exchange a few words before he enters the tower. Hei Lou Lan reflects that there is strength in numbers, and his owner token shows that the huge crowd of Gu Masters has already cleared the first thirty rounds. ^{ch. 565}

Past the fortieth round, numbers alone stop working. Specific expert Gu Masters are needed, and Pan Ping, Chang Biao, Ye Lui Sang and Tai Bai Yun Sheng push the group to the fifty-third round before their momentum stalls. They need an enslavement path master to pass it, and Tai Bai Yun Sheng, stroking his snow white beard, says they must have Wolf King. The novel already credits Fang Yuan, whose performance in this Imperial Court contest left everyone with an extremely deep impression, with the title of number one enslavement path Gu Master of this generation in northern plains. So everyone’s first thought is Fang Yuan. ^{ch. 565}

Ye Lui Sang looks around for Chang Shan Yin and cannot find him, and someone answers that Wolf King has been taking his wolves hunting these past few days. The group sighs in admiration that Chang Shan Yin’s heart stays unmoved even though everyone can now enter and exit the building freely. Pan Ping, gloomy, reminds them that Wolf King already entered the tower before, passed with a high grade evaluation, then went into closed-door cultivation and refused many of Hei Lou Lan’s invitations. The crowd knows of his conflict with Fang Yuan. No one wants to offend the rising Sole Blade General, so the praise for Fang Yuan stops at once and the group falls into a momentary silence. Pan Ping means to incite jealousy by mentioning Fang Yuan’s unnamed reward, leaving everyone to imagine what it was, and now that they have felt the building’s own benefits, envy lights in their hearts. ^{ch. 565}

A young Gu Master’s voice breaks the silence, saying the building is open to everyone, so his father’s gains came from his own ability. The crowd turns toward the voice and discovers it is Chang Shan Yin’s own son, Chang Ji You. Pan Ping’s expression turns sharp, and he glares viciously at Chang Ji You. Though somewhat weaker than Pan Ping, Chang Ji You does not back down, meeting his gaze out of reverence for his father. Killing intent surges in Pan Ping, but he does not dare act, caught off guard at being challenged by a junior. Chang Biao feels the most complicated of anyone present. He is Chang Ji You’s own blood father, yet he must watch his son defend his greatest enemy, and grievance and hatred surge in him without stop. ^{ch. 565}

Tai Bai Yun Sheng stands to ease the tension and refocuses everyone on the round. The Gu Masters agree that only Wolf King’s help can pass it, and since Tai Bai Yun Sheng holds the highest standing among them, Wolf King will surely accept if he personally sends the request. Chang Biao and Pan Ping exchange a worried glance: if Wolf King comes he is sure to pass the round, and beyond the reward, his prestige will rise even further, which neither man wants to see. Pan Ping wants to object but hesitates. He cannot find a chance to interrupt Tai Bai Yun Sheng without losing face, especially after Chang Ji You already interrupted once. Chang Biao watches him fail to speak, inwardly curses him for cowardice, then signals a planted agent hidden among the crowd. ^{ch. 565}

The agent shouts that Wolf King is occupied with important matters and probably not easy to invite, and suggests requesting Tang Miao Ming instead, whose enslavement path attainment is already close to master realm. Tai Bai Yun Sheng’s resolve wavers. He does not know Fang Yuan well, but he knows of his arrogance, and decides it may be better to let Tang Miao Ming try first than risk the embarrassment of a refusal. ^{ch. 565}

Elsewhere, groups of blissful snow bats fly from every direction toward Di Qiu cave, drawn together like rivers joining the sea. A peculiar fragrance, spread for a hundred li, is what draws the blissful snow bat groups in, and by this stage the Gu refinement nears its end. Fang Yuan notes that this method sacrifices beasts’ lives, much like Eighty-Eight True Yang Building’s own small towers, which sacrifice wild Gu to combine their strength. As he personally carries it out, Fang Yuan gains an even deeper understanding of this Gu refinement. The fragrance fades, and the last bats scatter and fly off. Fang Yuan’s breathing turns rough as he stares fixedly at the cave, unable to hide his excitement, and says it is about to finish. ^{ch. 565}