Chapter 833

Fang Yuan and Zheng Shan Chuan can no longer avoid the duel. The name Zheng Shan Chuan feels familiar to Fang Yuan, but his zombie mind is slower than a living person’s, so he searches his memory until he places it. ^{ch. 833}

His memory holds a later super force, Shan Chuan Hall. Its creator carries this same name, and its leader becomes a Gu Immortal riding the rise of dream realms on Central Continent’s east coast. During the five regions chaotic war that followed, the ten ancient sects gradually lost control as many forces rose, ten of them styling themselves the ten new great sects. ^{ch. 833}

Fang Yuan concludes this competitor must be that creator. The ailing elder beside him, he realizes, is Zheng Shan Chuan’s master, Old Man Qi Shan, secretly poisoned by a heat toxin that turned cold and at least doubled in severity once green shine Gu, a top heat-toxin cure, was used against it. Zheng Shan Chuan cured his master by gathering nine types of shine Gu into the killer move nine shine. His descendant led Shan Chuan Hall, advanced nine shine into the immortal killer move profound light nine shine, and became a famous light path healer in that war. ^{ch. 833}

Using luck inspection Gu, Fang Yuan reads both men’s fortunes, since Gu worms restraining casual use cannot touch an immortal zombie whose aperture is part of his own body. Zheng Shan Chuan’s luck shines like a bright seven colored rainbow, while Old Man Qi Shan’s is a broken jade bowl leaking grey luck. The two are joined. A portion of the rainbow luck flows into the bowl, easing his misfortune to a large extent. ^{ch. 833}

Fang Yuan considers killing Zheng Shan Chuan here. He reasons the east coast would then lack that super force centuries later. The instant he forms the intent, both men’s luck wavers, the rainbow light fading toward destruction. He decides against it: killing gains him nothing, and the chaos in Northern Plains from Mo Yao’s fake will was never his intention. He means to let people continue on their own paths, preserving the advantage his rebirth gives him. ^{ch. 833}

He recalls that in his previous life he reached only rank six, one step short of rank seven, mostly through fortuitous encounters while wasting much time. This restraint is not fear but a demonic overlord’s ambition: he can still contest with them and profit on his way toward eternal life. His killing intent fades. The luck of both men recovers to its original strength, even slightly greater than before. ^{ch. 833}

Fang Yuan reflects that luck path depends heavily on one’s own strength and cultivation. He also thinks of Ma Hong Yun, whose luck cannot overcome Old Ancestor Xue Hu’s strength. ^{ch. 833}

Back on the stage, the crowd’s urging grows loud enough that Flying Frost Sect no longer needs to steer it. Fang Yuan proposes terms: if he loses, he gives Zheng Shan Chuan green shine Gu, but if Zheng Shan Chuan loses, he becomes Fang Yuan’s slave for life. Old Man Qi Shan objects at once, and Zheng Shan Chuan hesitates, since agreeing would stake his whole future. Fang Yuan insists he will not duel unless Zheng Shan Chuan wagers himself, invoking his master’s worsening toxin. Zheng Shan Chuan is startled Fang Yuan knows of his master’s toxin at all. Old Man Qi Shan reads the words as bait and tells his disciple not to agree. ^{ch. 833}

A Flying Frost Sect elder steps in, declaring the duel their own affair and offering an area from the sect’s first elder. Fang Yuan then says he is moved by the disciple’s filial piety and, breaking from custom, lets Zheng Shan Chuan alone choose the duel’s task. The crowd gasps, judging Fang Yuan too arrogant, and shifts its money to Zheng Shan Chuan. Old Man Qi Shan still urges caution, but his disciple, worried for his master, chooses careful Gu, his specialty: a rank three Gu perfected over three years to an eighty percent success rate. Zheng Shan Chuan commits to the duel. ^{ch. 833}