Fang Yuan's laughter echoed in the inheritance space.
Under his foot, Wang Xiao was trembling.
"Hold on, hold on, everything can be discussed. I can tell you the true path into Wu mountain, but you must ensure my safety…"
Fang Yuan did not answer him immediately.
His laughter slowly stopped, as his eyes turned deep and cold.
He had returned to this moment.
The dead end inside the bronze hall, Bai Ning Bing's betrayal, Tie Ruo Nan's trap, Fixed Star Gu, Infinite Search and Lock, Tie Bai Qi, Mo Wu Tian's unexpected appearance, all these memories were still clear in his mind.
The feeling of being pierced through the chest had not disappeared.
The feeling of being sealed by Tie clan's four old-timers had not disappeared either.
Fang Yuan lowered his gaze and looked at his left forearm.
Fixed Star Gu.
It was hidden there, like a rope tied around his neck.
He could cut off his arm.
With enough ruthlessness, he could do it immediately. Once his arm was cut off, Infinite Search and Lock would only pull away a severed limb.
But doing that would alert Bai Ning Bing and Tie clan.
Once they knew he had discovered the scheme, they would immediately change their plans. Bai Ning Bing would no longer remain useful. Tie Ruo Nan would no longer wait patiently. Tie Bai Qi and the four old-timers might also move ahead of time.
Fang Yuan's greatest advantage now was not his strength.
It was his knowledge of what would happen.
If he exposed this advantage too early, the future would change and scatter into uncertainty.
"Going with the flow…" Fang Yuan muttered.
Wang Xiao heard these words and became even more afraid.
"Little beast king, I am useful! I can tell you—"
Crack.
Fang Yuan pressed down with his foot.
Wang Xiao's head shattered.
The lord of Wu mountain died without revealing anything.
Fang Yuan took his Gu worms and fed his aperture into Beast Strength Placenta Gu. Yun Luo Tian's corpse was also dealt with in the same way.
After doing this, he raised his head.
"Ba Gui."
Inside the bronze hall, Ba Gui's old eyes moved.
Fang Ming stood nearby with a calm expression.
He had also returned.
But he did not show anything.
Fang Yuan's laughter, Wang Xiao's death, the sudden change in his rhythm, all of this confirmed that the rebirth had succeeded. Fang Ming's Spring Autumn Tag-Along Gu had also succeeded.
But he could not let Fang Yuan notice anything strange.
Ba Gui first looked at Fang Ming, then looked toward Fang Yuan's image.
In the next moment, Fang Yuan appeared inside the bronze hall.
His gaze swept past Ba Gui and briefly stopped on Fang Ming.
Fang Ming frowned slightly, showing confusion toward Fang Yuan's sudden change in mood.
"Something happened?" Fang Ming asked.
Fang Yuan looked at him for a breath.
Fang Ming's expression was natural. There was no shock, no joy, and no hidden excitement.
Fang Yuan withdrew his gaze.
"Ba Gui, I will not waste time."
A faint aura emerged from Fang Yuan's aperture.
Ancient and mysterious.
It was green and orange, like spring and autumn overlapping.
Spring Autumn Cicada.
Ba Gui's huge body trembled.
"This aura… Rank six Immortal Gu! Spring Autumn Cicada?"
Fang Ming's eyes moved slightly at the right time.
Not too much.
Only enough to show surprise.
Fang Yuan said plainly: "I came from the future. I had already refined Second Aperture Gu once, but the final situation changed. This time, we will avoid the mistakes."
Ba Gui was deeply shaken.
If Fang Yuan had said this at the beginning, it would have hesitated for a long time.
But Fang Ming had appeared earlier with an immortal-like aura and told it that Fang Yuan was the fated refiner. Fang Yuan had indeed appeared, matched the conditions, and carried the possibility of completing the old master's wish.
Now, Fang Yuan had revealed Spring Autumn Cicada.
Two mortals were connected to Immortal Gu.
One had predicted the fated person.
The other claimed to have returned from the future after refining Second Aperture Gu.
To Ba Gui, the possibility of success had become much more real.
Fang Ming watched silently.
This was different from the failed timeline.
Fang Yuan had taken command much faster.
Ba Gui slowly lowered its head. "What should we do first?"
Fang Yuan answered without hesitation.
"Long Qing Tian."
Space shifted.
Fang Yuan disappeared.
A moment later, he appeared near Long Qing Tian.
Long Qing Tian had not yet reached the weakened region of the blessed land. His Jade Sky Gu poison had not spread into the land. Under Ba Gui's suppression, he could not properly activate his Gu worms.
Fang Yuan killed him quickly.
The aperture was taken.
The Gu worms were looted.
Most importantly, Jade Sky Gu fell into Fang Yuan's hands.
A rank five poison Gu from immemorial times.
In the failed timeline, Long Qing Tian's corpse had rotted through the blessed land and created a second loophole. This time, this danger was removed before it could appear.
When Fang Yuan returned to the bronze hall, Fang Ming glanced at the dark green Gu in his hand.
"Poison path?"
"Useful poison," Fang Yuan replied.
Fang Ming nodded and did not ask further.
The fewer questions he asked, the better.
The refinement resumed.
This time, Fang Yuan's pace was different.
In the failed timeline, he had forced himself to the limit, passing through dangerous steps with difficulty and relying on Ba Gui, Fang Ming, and luck. Now, his movements were calm. He knew where the hidden difficulties were, which steps wasted immortal essence, and when he had to pause or push forward.
The bronze hall's stored materials were consumed one after another.
Ba Gui watched this with growing confidence.
Fang Ming assisted from the side, but he did not seize the lead. Fang Yuan was the core refiner. Fang Ming only stabilized the timing, helped prepare materials, and observed the refinement structure as it unfolded.
Several steps that had nearly failed before were completed cleanly this time.
The immortal essence expenditure was also lower.
The blessed land was still weakening, but it was not as violent as before.
Time passed.
Soon, the final stage approached again.
Bai Ning Bing arrived with the dog army.
Behind him, countless dog beasts covered the slope outside the bronze hall.
Fang Yuan looked at Fang Ming.
"You control the dog army."
Fang Ming raised his eyebrow. "Me?"
"You are rank five peak stage. Your soul foundation is stronger than Bai Ning Bing's. You also understand the situation better."
Fang Ming did not agree immediately.
Bai Ning Bing glanced at them, his expression cold.
Fang Ming said: "I am not an enslavement path Gu Master. More importantly, I want to participate in the refinement."
Fang Yuan looked at him.
Fang Ming continued calmly: "Or at least watch it closely. If a dangerous step comes, I can assist. If the outside pressure becomes too great, I will act. But making me stand outside and command dogs is a waste."
Bai Ning Bing snorted. "You speak as if controlling so many dogs is easy."
"It is not easy," Fang Ming said. "That is why Ba Gui should do it."
Ba Gui hesitated. "I still need to support the refinement."
Fang Yuan's gaze was deep.
He did not trust Fang Ming.
Fang Ming's desire to watch the refinement was suspicious. No one watched an Immortal Gu refinement without a motive.
But in the failed timeline, Fang Ming had not snatched Divine Travel Gu. He had not interfered with Second Aperture Gu either. When the defense was threatened, he had gone outside and fought seriously.
For now, Fang Ming was still useful.
Fang Yuan turned to Ba Gui. "Use primeval stones to support the dog command. Control the formation yourself. Bai Ning Bing will stay in the hall as protector."
Bai Ning Bing's eyes changed faintly.
This arrangement disrupted his plan.
If he did not control the dogs, he could not open a path at the crucial moment so easily.
But he did not reveal it.
"Up to you," Bai Ning Bing said coldly. "As long as you do not die."
Fang Yuan smiled lightly. "I will try."
Fang Ming saw Bai Ning Bing's expression and remained silent.
Let Fang Yuan deal with him.
That was Fang Yuan's enemy on this layer of the board.
Fang Ming had his own.
The final refinement did not begin immediately.
Fang Yuan waited.
Ba Gui became anxious. "Young man, why are you not starting? Time is precious."
Fang Ming also frowned. "If we delay for too long, more Gu Masters will enter."
His tone carried impatience, as if he did not know what Fang Yuan was waiting for.
Fang Yuan glanced at him.
Fang Ming's reaction was reasonable.
Good.
Fang Yuan said: "There will be a tremor."
Ba Gui was startled. "A tremor?"
Fang Ming looked at him. "From outside?"
Fang Yuan did not explain much. "Wait."
On San Cha Mountain, the blue and red inheritance pillars were weak and thin. The yellow King Quan inheritance pillar had already vanished.
The abnormal state of the blessed land drew everyone's attention.
Then Xiao Mang made his move.
Extreme Light Gu.
Heaven's Will Gu.
Empty Fist Gu.
Killer move — Immemorial Light Fist!
A huge fist of light struck the blessed land's barrier.
Boom!
The world shook.
A huge passage opened, connecting the blessed land to the outside world.
Countless Gu Masters cheered and rushed in.
The bronze hall trembled heavily.
Dust fell from above.
Ba Gui's expression changed.
If the refinement had been ongoing at this moment, this disruption could have caused a disaster.
Fang Yuan remained calm.
Fang Ming narrowed his eyes slightly.
So Fang Yuan had been waiting for this.
The rebirth advantage had already begun to change the outcome.
When the tremor passed, Fang Yuan finally moved.
"Begin."
The false Second Aperture Gu entered the bronze cauldron.
Immortal essence burned and turned into blue smoke.
The false Gu floated above the cauldron, shining with yellow light.
Fang Yuan controlled the core.
Fang Ming sat nearby and assisted the outer rhythm.
Bai Ning Bing stood in the hall, watching quietly.
Ba Gui controlled the dog army outside.
At the same time, Fang Ming activated Counterfeit Copy Gu.
Silently.
He did not activate it at the end.
He did not wait for the final product either.
He started it in the middle of the refinement.
This was more risky.
If Fang Yuan's refinement failed, Fang Ming's counterfeit attempt would also fail. Counterfeit Copy Gu would enter its monthly cooldown, and he would lose this chance.
But starting now gave him more freedom.
He could observe the transformation as it happened. He could influence the counterfeit structure step by step, instead of merely copying the final shell. He could guide the result toward something that suited him.
Not exactly Second Aperture Gu.
Not exactly Divine Travel Gu either.
It would be something born from watching the Immortal Gu refinement process unfold.
Fang Ming's expression did not change.
His hands continued assisting the refinement.
But in his mind, a thread of attention had already entered the counterfeit embryo that was silently forming inside his aperture.
The refinement continued.
Blue smoke became grass.
Yellow light became flowers.
Fang Yuan cut his artery and released his essence blood.
The smoke and light hissed, turning into a red cloud like a sea of blood. The cloud then settled into a field where scarlet wheat grew.
Fang Yuan healed his wound.
His face turned pale, but his movements were still steady.
Then came the three hundred years lifespan Gu.
In the failed timeline, this step had nearly destroyed everything.
Now, Fang Yuan was prepared.
The cloud boiled and transformed into a blue-scaled snake, struggling to escape.
Fang Ming raised his hands to stabilize the outer flow, but Fang Yuan had already locked down the key path.
The snake thrashed.
Fang Yuan pulled it back with practiced precision.
Fang Ming's assistance closed the smaller gaps.
This time, the danger passed much faster.
The blood field changed.
Blue-green wheat grew like spring crops.
Three hundred years as spring.
Ba Gui's eyes brightened.
"You handled it so easily…"
Fang Yuan said nothing.
Fang Ming glanced at him, then looked back at the refinement.
The counterfeit embryo in his aperture trembled faintly.
It had absorbed the rhythm of the lifespan transformation.
Not copied.
Absorbed.
Outside, Mo Wu Tian arrived at the edge of the fog.
Through his purple eyes, he saw the dog formation and frowned.
One person could not break through this.
He began gathering demonic Gu Masters, but the process was not smooth. Demonic cultivators were greedy, suspicious, and unwilling to be the first to bleed. Some wanted to wait for the righteous path to move. Some wanted to search other areas first. Some demanded proof that the treasure was really there.
Mo Wu Tian was powerful, but he was still young.
Power could suppress people.
But it could not instantly organize greed.
This delay bought more time.
Inside the bronze hall, Fang Yuan took out the five hundred years lifespan Gu.
The refinement continued.
This timeline had already begun to change.
But the true storm had not arrived yet.