Eight Beast Phantoms

On the battle stage against Ju Kai Bei, Fang Yuan cycles boar, brown bear, crocodile, green bull, horse, stone turtle, white elephant, and black python phantoms through All-out Effort Gu. After black python coiling strength Gu he stops adding other strength Gu. ^{ch. 317} Spectators later call the eight phantoms attacking together his killer move. ^{ch. 321}

Limits

Bitter Strength Gu does not raise that ceiling without bound. Ju Kai Bei judges that the strength Fang Yuan can release is at most eight beast phantoms. Unleashing all eight taxes even his iron body: sweat pours, and muscles ache and numb. ^{ch. 319} Early in the Ju Kai Bei match he can usually push only one phantom at a time, unlike Ju Kai Bei’s Habitual Strength Gu bursts. ^{ch. 317} As injuries mount under bitter strength Gu, he climbs from five phantoms at once toward the full eight. ^{ch. 319}

Solid attack

Hollow beast phantoms are traces of the Great Dao and cannot attack directly. Strength Qi Gu creates formless qi of strength; the phantoms attach to that qi, turn solid, and charge as real attackers until the qi fades and they return to the user. Containing one phantom costs five percent of snow silver primeval essence, so eight cost forty percent. Even near peak essence the eight phantom burst can be used only about twice in theory, and fewer times once movement, defense, and other Gu also spend essence. ^{ch. 320}

Against Djinn transformation

When Ju Kai Bei presses with Djinn transformation, Fang Yuan manifests all eight phantoms, spends over forty percent snow silver essence at once, and sends them as solid attackers from every side. They pin Ju Kai Bei so he cannot retreat with dragon travel tiger steps Gu, break ivory armor, and leave him half kneeling before he surrenders. ^{ch. 320} City talk treats that scene, and the strength qi Gu behind it, as the signature that removes Fang Yuan’s usual strength path long range weakness. ^{ch. 321}