Chapter 828

Returning from another elder’s lecture, Fang Zheng is stopped by a disciple named Shi Hong, who asks for guidance on one of the four entry tasks for the Refinement Path Convention: refining earth treasury flower Gu. Fang Zheng’s own path is enslavement, and he knows nothing of refinement path, so he silently relays the question to Lord Sky Crane through the spirit incubating flea and repeats the answer as his own. The technique, called one after another, requires weaving a hundred stalks of upstream grass and strands of zen lion’s mane together within thirty breaths, or the refining fire burns them to ash. Shi Hong, astonished, bows in thanks and takes his leave. ^{ch. 828}

Walking on, Fang Zheng realizes Shi Hong had not truly wanted advice but was trying to create difficulty for him. Lord Sky Crane explains: Shi Hong is fond of a fellow disciple, Yi Yue, whose father, Elder Yan Tang, is weak and sidelined within Immortal Crane Sect. Yan Tang hopes to betroth his daughter to Fang Zheng, the sect’s youngest elder in its history, to secure an alliance of benefit. Fang Zheng now recalls Yi Yue’s warm attention at Yan Tang’s invitations. He says he dislikes scheming and, since he is an elder himself, resolves to refuse Yan Tang’s future invitations. Lord Sky Crane warns against this, since Fang Zheng is weaker than Yan Tang and cannot afford to break the relationship even without marrying his daughter. ^{ch. 828}

Lord Sky Crane explains the Refinement Path Convention as an event held only once every hundred years in Central Continent, so that without special lifespan-prolonging methods most Gu Masters can join only once in their lives. A Gu Master’s cultivation involves three aspects: nurture, use and refinement. The convention is open to any Gu Master with skill or insight in Gu refinement, not refinement path cultivators alone. Hundreds of thousands of Gu Masters take part, drawn from Central Continent sects of every size, with some even coming from the other four regions. The four entry tasks exist to sort the skilled from the hopeful, since the convention’s generous rewards would otherwise draw too many incompetent Gu Masters to try their luck. Worried that he cannot pass, Fang Zheng is reassured that with training and Lord Sky Crane’s guidance he can still succeed. ^{ch. 828}

On Five Virtues Mountain in eastern Central Continent stands Five Virtues Sect, a mid-sized sect counted a large influence in its surroundings. Its past leader was once an elder of Heavenly Lotus Sect, one of the ten great ancient sects, so nearby forces do not dare suppress it despite its short history. Fang Yuan, disguised as an ordinary mortal Gu Master in a robe, mask and rain hat, joins the crowd climbing the mountain. His disguise draws no particular attention, since many other people’s are even more elaborate. ^{ch. 828}

Following the crowd, Fang Yuan passes a master and disciple talking as they climb. The disciple has great talent in refinement path, and the master urges him to secure a good position, since only then will other forces want to recruit him. The disciple vows to take first place, meaning to use the winning Gu worm as a reward to cure his master’s illness. ^{ch. 828}

Suddenly an enormous force sends the master rolling to the ground, as burly men clear a path for the first elder of Flying Frost Sect, An Han, borne through the press on a chair. The crowd defers at once, recalling how the two sects once fought over the mouth of a spring: Five Virtues Sect barely won there, while Flying Frost Sect suffered severe losses. The furious disciple wants to confront them, but his more experienced master stops him. ^{ch. 828}

The burly men also try to shove Fang Yuan aside, but he ignores them. When he lets a trace of rank five aura leak out, they falter and back away. An Han notices the real aura and suspects Fang Yuan is a demonic Gu Master in disguise, since no lone cultivator carries such a bearing, and orders his men to leave him be. ^{ch. 828}

Among mortals, rank five stands at the peak, and even Immortal Crane Sect’s leader holds only rank five. Recognizing this, many in the crowd move to approach Fang Yuan, hoping to build a connection. Five Virtues Sect disciples along the stairs send word up the mountain that a rank five Gu Master has arrived. Fang Yuan tells the crowd to scram, his tone calm but carrying a coldness that chills them. He restrains his aura again, and no one stands within three steps of him. ^{ch. 828}