Chapter 709

Fang Yuan’s interest is roused at the mention of Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable. He asks whether Lang Ya land spirit means the legendary familiar face. At only rank six cultivation, Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable used familiar face to pose as Wan Che Zhen, best friend to the rank eight Deng Zuo Yan, and stole much treasure from his blessed land. Enraged, Deng Zuo Yan hunted down Wan Che Zhen and fought him until Wan Che Zhen let him land three blows, finally proving their friendship on the verge of death. ^{ch. 709}

Deng Zuo Yan tried to heal him regardless of cost, then named Thieving Heaven the enemy he had to kill. Wan Che Zhen’s injuries would not heal, and as Deng Zuo Yan faced tribulation, he left in secret rather than be a burden. Thieving Heaven seized the moment, disguised as him again, feigned illness, and extorted cultivation resources from Deng Zuo Yan before escaping unharmed. Deng Zuo Yan died in his tribulation not long after, his foundation gutted. Wan Che Zhen, hearing of his friend’s death, vomited blood in anger, and his injured body failed him days later. This was familiar face’s most illustrious achievement, a non-offensive move that still indirectly took two rank eight lives. ^{ch. 709}

The land spirit shakes his head at Fang Yuan’s daring: familiar face’s core Gu is the legendary Attitude Gu, an immortal move Fang Yuan could not use even if handed it. His own move, an earlier mortal version suitable for Fang Yuan, is closely related, and the land spirit names it unfamiliar face, though it will cost a favor. His plan: his twelve cloud buildings once each held a desolate beast, but the mysterious force’s attacks killed two and a third later died of its injuries, leaving nine. If Fang Yuan enslaves a desolate beast of outstanding battle strength, he will pay market rate in essence stones and hand over unfamiliar face. Fang Yuan is privately overjoyed, since his standing with the land spirit has improved. He agrees. ^{ch. 709}

Taking three new Immortal Gu remnant recipes, Fang Yuan returns to Hu Immortal blessed land. With the eight desolate beasts returned, Hei Lou Lan and Fairy Li Shan could not stay on, so Tai Bai Yun Sheng alone had guarded it. He greets Fang Yuan and asks how the trip went. Fang Yuan calls it fruitful and hands him back Landscape as Before and Man as Before. Shark Demon is calling Tai Bai Yun Sheng to Eastern Sea, so he takes the two Gu and rushes off unexamined. ^{ch. 709}

Alone, Fang Yuan judges the Immortal Crane Sect crisis has stabilized his position: he has entered the righteous path faction as a subsidiary force, sells guts Gu, and can act a little in Central Continent’s affairs. The peace is fragile. His four Gu Immortals and eight desolate beasts are a facade of borrowed strength, since the Snowy Mountain Alliance with Hei Lou Lan has a time limit and Lang Ya blessed land cannot always spare its beasts. Even with Immortal Crane Sect turned back, every force will investigate him now that he has gone public, and once they learn his background they will strike again. He decides this hard-won peace is time to advance, to build his foundation and raise his cultivation until no force dares move against him. ^{ch. 709}

Several problems stand before him. The first is feeding his Immortal Gu, and cleanse soul Immortal Gu is the most urgent, since neither the land spirit nor Fairy Li Shan has a lead on the white lotus giant silkworm Gu it needs. Only the recipe, refined in bulk, could solve that shortage completely. His other Immortal Gu carry similar feeding problems: calamity beckoning Immortal Gu has taken the six headed snake’s blood, and delight in water and mountain Immortal Gu’s problem was only postponed by Mo Yao’s will. Worldly wave trace Gu needs thousands of deepsea lightning eels, rare, and only Tai Bai Yun Sheng’s risky encounter with Shark Demon secured the needed amount. Rising azure cloud Immortal Gu sits in Lang Ya land spirit’s hands, the worldly sand gull’s dead egg still covers three feedings of connect luck Immortal Gu, and only Woman’s Heart stays troublesome. It is not yet the five regions chaotic war, and even with many immortal essence stones now, feeding an Immortal Gu is usually tied to a Gu Immortal’s own cultivation path and blessed land. ^{ch. 709}