Chapter 857

The duel ends in a draw: despite his advantage, Fang Yuan meets the rank five refinement’s natural failure rate, and neither side has materials to try again. Feng Jin Huang is treated at once. Each side may reclaim or trade its wager: she trades, and he agrees. She passes him an information path Gu worm holding an immortal zombie’s revival method. They then draw up an agreement: Fang Yuan, Immortal Crane Sect’s subsidiary, will give Spirit Affinity House priority in guts Gu trade, ahead even of that sect. ^{ch. 857}

An Immortal Crane Sect elder invites him to meet He Feng Yang. He Feng Yang offers Immortal Crane Sect’s cure for his zombie status, which Fang Yuan recognizes as recruitment through the possession technique. Fang Yuan says he would rather remain a zombie than lose his freedom. ^{ch. 857}

He Feng Yang says he did not come to discuss freedom. Fang Yuan must hand over his captured brother, Fang Zheng, within three days, or Heavenly Court, whose own order this is, will eventually take Hu Immortal blessed land. Fang Zheng is also Fang Yuan’s backup option for regaining life and his best candidate for a blood deity. ^{ch. 857}

Fang Yuan already knows Heavenly Court’s power from his previous life, better than He Feng Yang does. Caught off guard, Fang Yuan cannot connect Heavenly Court to Fang Zheng. He tests He Feng Yang, saying that giving Fang Zheng up would hand him the blessed land’s key. He Feng Yang laughs, calling him scheming. He sets the terms: he will execute Fang Zheng in three days, in exchange for Lord Sky Crane’s soul, intact. ^{ch. 857}

He Feng Yang vanishes at once. Fang Yuan returns to Hu Immortal blessed land, setting Fang Zheng aside to research Feng Jin Huang’s revival method first. ^{ch. 857}

The method traces to Fairy Lian Xiang, a past-generation Spirit Affinity House fairy who, ambushed into zombie status at rank five, used her Desolate Ancient Moon physique, one of the ten extreme physiques, to ascend and emerge purified. Spirit Affinity House’s Gu Immortals deduced that such an ascension cures a zombie body. Fang Yuan is mildly disappointed: his blood skull Gu raises aptitude only for mortals, and an immortal zombie would need it advanced into an Immortal Gu, at great cost. Such an ascension is extremely dangerous, its tribulation fiercer still and rising over a dozen times for a zombie. Fang Yuan sets the method aside, judging it would fail even with his allies’ help. ^{ch. 857}

Fang Yuan visits Fang Zheng in Dang Hun palace’s cell. Fang Zheng calls him the biggest culprit in their uncle and aunt’s deaths even if Immortal Crane Sect and his master share blame, and demands death or lasting enmity. ^{ch. 857}

Fang Yuan calls him stubborn, then uses Soul Search, finding nothing of value. He wonders why Heavenly Court would target an ordinary man, and leans toward believing He Feng Yang, unaware it possesses fate Immortal Gu, beyond even his previous life’s knowledge. He wonders whether someone tampered with Fang Zheng’s soul, but judges it unlikely. ^{ch. 857}

Weighing whether to comply, Fang Yuan judges himself unafraid of He Feng Yang. He is wary of Immortal Crane Sect and Heavenly Court, whose rank eight Gu Immortals could easily kill him. He expects no such battle, since Fixed Immortal Travel lets him flee first. ^{ch. 857}

Three days later he hands over Fang Zheng, tortured, one arm replaced with a dog’s limb. He hands over the spirit incubating flea carrying Lord Sky Crane’s soul. ^{ch. 857}

He Feng Yang glances and tells Fang Yuan he chose wisely. Fang Yuan tells him to hold up his end of the agreement. He Feng Yang tells him to watch closely, then kills Fang Zheng under Fang Yuan’s supervision, burning him until not a trace remains. ^{ch. 857}

From the flea, Lord Sky Crane’s voice cries out, asking why. He Feng Yang answers that this was Heavenly Court’s order, and calls it Sky Crane’s own destiny, since Sky Crane chose to accompany and teach Fang Zheng rather than possess him. With not a trace of Fang Zheng’s soul left, He Feng Yang promises to find Sky Crane a new body as compensation, then takes the flea and leaves, telling Fang Yuan he may visit Fei He mountain once he is free. ^{ch. 857}