Chapter 993

Fang Yuan still lacks clues on ghostly concealment. He knows only that it targets the soul. He judges divine concealment already extraordinary, and expects ghostly concealment, equally famous, to be no less. The song Star Constellation Immortal Venerable sang to him in the dream realm troubles him even more. ^{ch. 993}

His Luo Po Valley experience proved the song carries huge significance, almost a prophecy. Ordinary logic says a dream-realm song should not touch reality. He suspects it is a prophetic dream realm left by Star Constellation Immortal Venerable, the greatest wisdom path expert, whose death-arrangements once foiled three Demon Venerables and kept Heavenly Court standing. ^{ch. 993}

He reads the song’s opening as Luo Po Valley and Feng Jiu Ge. Its second verse, of bent swords and an unceasing heavenly river, he reads as pointing to Bo Qing and Falling Heavenly River. Bo Qing, sword path’s greatest expert, died under tribulation long ago; even his corpse was lost and his fame faded, which Fang Yuan reads as the verse’s own rise and fall. Having now recalled the song in full, further deduction strengthened this reading, and his previous life’s memories left him more determined to explore the river he already meant to visit. ^{ch. 993}

Falling Heavenly River holds abundant corpses of ancient and immemorial desolate beasts and plants. Individually lesser than his Earth Trench gains, their combined worth would exceed it, and although many Gu Immortals have died in the river, almost all profited in the early stages of exploration. Its erratic sword lights, beasts, plants, undercurrents and whirlpools still make now the wrong time to enter. His modified familiar face lacks change form Immortal Gu, so he can only disguise as a human. Even with that Gu, he could not survive the riverbed’s traps. He resolves to wait for Bo Qing’s sword lights to cleanse the river first, his only option. ^{ch. 993}

Prince Feng Xian, a rank eight Gu Immortal, is secretly a Central Continent mole placed in Northern Plains by Spirit Affinity House. He is very loyal to the House and values Feng Jiu Ge highly. He had been extremely worried during Feng Jiu Ge’s disappearance and extremely happy at news of his reappearance, not knowing that news named Fang Yuan in disguise. ^{ch. 993}

Feng Jiu Ge does not come for days. Prince Feng Xian grows suspicious. Then a letter from Spirit Affinity House reveals Zhao Lian Yun has obtained divine concealment and that ghostly concealment lies in Luo Po Valley’s inheritance. From the letter’s timing alone he realizes rivals within the House deliberately delayed word during Feng Jiu Ge’s absence, dissatisfied after his long hold on power. ^{ch. 993}

He deduces Feng Jiu Ge is lying low deliberately to expose which of the sect harbor ill intent, staying hidden and injured nearby rather than approach him directly, since Feng Xian could alert the sect at once. Searching nearby areas first, his rank eight search quickly finds Feng Jiu Ge himself. The two reunite warmly; this Feng Jiu Ge is not Fang Yuan in disguise. Feng Xian takes him to his grotto-heaven to recuperate. ^{ch. 993}

Discussing Luo Po Valley, Feng Xian blames Hui Feng Zi’s negligence and suspects Shadow Sect took the valley. Fang Yuan’s image crosses Feng Jiu Ge’s mind, but he stays silent. Feng Xian promises a seven-day celebration once Feng Jiu Ge heals and reassures him about his wife and daughter. Feng Jiu Ge, aware Feng Xian’s loyalty serves the sect’s stability over his own wish to purge rivals, softens at the mention of family and answers with a loaded reply that pleases Feng Xian further. ^{ch. 993}

News that Feng Jiu Ge survived brings the House’s higher-ups to jubilation, having newly realized how much they had undervalued him during his absence. Feng Jin Huang and Fairy Bai Qing are pleased. But Xu Hao and Li Jun Ying, who had deliberately delayed news of Zhao Lian Yun, feel heavy, expecting Feng Jiu Ge will definitely be displeased and may suppress them some once he returns. Because the news reached the House early, no leadership conference was held, and Fairy Bai Qing never went to investigate Bo Qing. ^{ch. 993}

The immortal zombie Bo Qing still appears, sword lights roaming unhindered over Central Continent and shocking immortals and mortals alike. When the lights stop, Gu Immortals move toward Falling Heavenly River, but Fang Yuan has already arrived first. Before him the river is already dyed blood red, immortal materials filling his view. ^{ch. 993}