The loot division ended.
Hei Lou Lan left first, taking her portion and returning to her blessed land to settle the newly gained materials. She had gained greatly from this trip, but the pressure on her had also grown. Desolate beast corpses were wealth, but wealth also needed to be converted into strength.
Fang Ming did not leave immediately.
Fang Yuan noticed this.
The two stood in a side hall of Hu Immortal blessed land. Outside, Dang Hun Mountain stood silently, its pink crystal body reflecting soft light. Little Hu Immortal had already been sent away by Fang Yuan, leaving only the two Gu Immortals in the room.
Fang Yuan looked at Fang Ming calmly. "You have something else to discuss?"
Fang Ming nodded. "Dream path."
Fang Yuan's gaze changed slightly.
Fang Ming continued, "During the Star Constellation dream trap, you reacted faster than both Hei Lou Lan and me. You recognized the dream realm, broke free decisively, then used icy drill stardust to wake Hei Lou Lan. Later, inside Seven Star Child's dream, you also understood the danger quickly."
He paused.
"Your attainment in dream path is deeper than mine."
Fang Yuan's expression did not change, but his mind became alert.
Fang Ming's tone was calm. "I want to cooperate."
"Cooperate how?"
"Sell me dream path mortal Gu recipes, dream path killer moves, and exploration experience. If you can refine dream path mortal Gu, I can buy them from you at premium prices. We can treat it as a long-term trade, similar to the guts Gu business."
Fang Yuan refused immediately. "No."
Fang Ming was not surprised. "Immortal essence stones are not enough?"
"They are not." Fang Yuan's answer was direct.
His finances were no longer as strained as before. With the guts Gu business, Lang Ya transactions, and the gains from Starry Sky grotto-heaven, he was not desperate enough to sell away future advantage.
Dream path was different.
Immortal essence stones could be earned again.
Dream path knowledge could not be recovered once spread.
In Fang Yuan's previous life, dream path had developed over five hundred years. Countless Gu Immortals had died exploring dream realms. Countless forces had spent terrifying amounts of resources. Every recipe, every killer move, every method of passing a dream realm represented blood, time, and accumulated experience.
To others, dream path was the unknown future.
To Fang Yuan, it was one of his greatest advantages.
He would not sell it so easily.
Fang Ming changed his approach. "Then you can refine the mortal Gu yourself. I will only buy the finished Gu worms as consumables. I can make a pledge not to reverse-engineer them, not to sell them, not to share them, and not to reveal that they came from you."
Fang Yuan still shook his head.
"Even finished Gu worms reveal direction. Recipes are hidden inside results. A person who studies them for long enough can guess principles, materials, and trends. Dream path has not truly risen yet. Any information now is priceless."
Fang Ming looked at him quietly.
The refusal was expected.
Fang Yuan was not a merchant who could be moved only by price. If something had future strategic value, he would rather let money rot than sell the core.
So Fang Ming stopped offering immortal essence stones.
"Then let us trade foundations."
Fang Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
Fang Ming raised his hand.
An Immortal Gu appeared in his palm.
It looked like a small crystal cicada, but its body was not transparent. Instead, it was formed from layers of condensed pale-gold will. Thin lines moved across its wings like written thoughts, constantly changing, never fixed.
"This Gu strengthens the user's will," Fang Ming said. "It resists wisdom path attacks, soul path attacks, will interference, mental suppression, and emotional invasion. It also has a slight effect against dream path erosion."
Fang Yuan's gaze locked onto the Gu.
Fang Ming continued, "Against the Star Constellation dream, it was not enough. That was a rank nine venerable's dream realm. But against ordinary dream traps, it can buy time. Against wisdom path and soul path methods, its effect is more direct."
He looked at Fang Yuan. "During the last incident, if I had been as decisive as you and sacrificed a limb to create pain, I could have escaped far more cleanly. The Gu gave me enough clarity to react. I simply lacked your decisiveness in that instant."
Fang Yuan did not answer immediately.
His interest was real.
Dream path was his long-term advantage, but his current weaknesses were also obvious. Wisdom path methods could scheme against him. Soul path methods could target his soul. Dream realms could trap him, especially because he was an immortal zombie and lacked ordinary pain.
This Immortal Gu could not replace dream path methods.
But it could patch multiple weaknesses at once.
More importantly, it might be combined with dream path mortal Gu to create an immortal killer move usable inside dream realms.
That possibility alone raised its value.
"What is its name?" Fang Yuan asked.
"Strong Will Immortal Gu."
Fang Yuan looked up. "Let me inspect it."
Fang Ming handed it over.
This was not the original Unfathomable Will Immortal Gu.
It was a counterfeit copy, slightly weaker, but still a genuine rank six Immortal Gu. Fang Ming had prepared it precisely because giving away his original defensive Gu would be foolish.
Fang Yuan took Strong Will Immortal Gu and examined it carefully.
His methods were meticulous. He checked its aura, dao mark structure, feeding requirement, activation burden, and compatibility. His eyes became deeper the longer he inspected it.
Good Gu.
Very good Gu.
It was not dream path, but it could support dream path exploration.
It was not wisdom path, but it could resist wisdom path interference.
It was not soul path, but it could help preserve clarity when the soul was shaken.
To Fang Yuan, this was not just an Immortal Gu. It was a tool that could advance several plans and reduce many immediate risks.
After a long while, Fang Yuan said, "I can pay immortal essence stones or materials to make up the difference."
Fang Ming shook his head. "I do not want stones."
"Then what do you want?"
"Dream path."
Fang Yuan's expression turned cold. "You are asking for too much."
"I am offering an Immortal Gu that can help you survive dream realms before dream path matures." Fang Ming's tone remained even. "You know its value."
Fang Yuan was silent.
Both of them understood the difficulty.
If this were an ordinary transaction, Fang Yuan could conceal, mislead, or give partial truths. But they were bound by Mountain Pledge agreements, and this exchange would be made under clear terms. He could not simply say, "This is all I know," if it was not true.
Fang Ming knew this as well.
That was why he did not ask for money.
He asked for something Fang Yuan could not casually fake once oath restrictions were involved.
Fang Yuan's mind moved quickly.
Dream path knowledge was priceless, but not all knowledge was equally usable.
Some dream path killer moves required specific dream path Immortal Gu as cores.
Some dream realm locations were guarded by super forces.
Some experience was only useful under conditions Fang Ming did not have.
Some recipes required materials that almost no one could currently gather.
He could give valuable knowledge while limiting immediate usefulness.
Strong Will Immortal Gu was different. Its value was immediate.
After a long silence, Fang Yuan said, "I can give you dream path mortal Gu recipes, some mortal killer moves, dream realm exploration experience, and certain dream realm locations. I can also give some immortal killer move concepts, but whether you can use them depends on your own ability."
Fang Ming smiled. "That is acceptable."
"Not enough." Fang Yuan's eyes were cold. "You cannot sell this information, pass it to outsiders, or let it spread."
"Agreed."
"You cannot sell the Gu recipes."
"Agreed."
"You cannot teach dream path killer moves to others."
Fang Ming paused.
Fang Yuan immediately noticed.
Fang Ming said, "I need dream path mortal Gu. Many of them. I cannot refine everything myself."
Fang Yuan's gaze sharpened. "So you want to teach others."
"Inside my immortal aperture only," Fang Ming said. "Only my own people, only for refinement production, only limited recipe knowledge necessary for their assigned steps. They cannot spread it outside. The information cannot leave my aperture."
Fang Yuan's expression was not satisfied.
That was still a risk.
Fang Ming continued, "You know how production works. If I cannot use Gu Masters to refine mortal Gu, then most of the recipes become decorative. I am not asking to spread dream path outside. I am asking to build internal production."
The two looked at each other.
Neither retreated immediately.
Finally, Fang Yuan said, "Anyone inside your aperture who receives dream path recipe knowledge cannot leave with that knowledge."
"They already live under strict control," Fang Ming answered. "I can add pledge restrictions."
"The knowledge cannot be transferred to your fairy subordinates outside."
"Unless they enter my aperture and refine under the same restrictions."
Fang Yuan considered this.
He still disliked it.
But Strong Will Immortal Gu was in his hand, and he truly wanted it.
Moreover, Fang Ming clearly would not accept immortal essence stones. If Fang Yuan pushed too hard, the deal would collapse.
"Fine," Fang Yuan said at last. "Internal use only. No external teaching, no sales of knowledge, no passing to outside forces. Gu worms refined using the recipes cannot be sold without my consent."
Fang Ming nodded. "Agreed."
The oath terms were set.
Fang Yuan began transferring information.
Not all at once, and not carelessly.
He gave dream path mortal Gu recipes first. Some were foundational Gu worms used for dream exploration, stabilization, resistance, and entry. Some were consumables. Others were difficult and required rare materials.
Then came mortal killer moves.
Methods to stabilize the soul in dreams.
Methods to test whether a dream realm had surfaced.
Methods to use pain, emotion, or external stimulus to escape shallow layers.
Methods to avoid answering dream voices.
Methods to identify hidden conditions inside dream realms.
Fang Ming listened without interrupting.
Next came experience.
Dream realms were not ordinary inheritances.
Surface conditions were often false.
Emotions were traps.
Repeated failure deepened erosion.
Pain could awaken, but only if the body could feel it.
A dream realm could contain the dreamer's admiration, hatred, regret, fear, and obsession all mixed together. Sometimes the key was not to fulfill what the dream showed, but to understand what the dreamer could not let go of.
Fang Ming's eyes became thoughtful.
The refinement path dream of Xiang Ji had already shown this.
The apparent goal was refining Slaughter Gu.
The true condition was making young Kong Jue fail.
Fang Yuan also gave locations.
Some were in Central Continent.
Some in Southern Border.
Some in Western Desert.
Many were useless for now because they were either hidden within super force territories or would not surface openly until much later. A few were guarded by forces Fang Ming could not casually provoke.
Fang Ming noted them anyway.
Even unusable information had value when combined with timing, mobility, and patience.
Finally, Fang Yuan gave several immortal killer move concepts.
Many required dream path Immortal Gu as cores.
Some used Dream Wings Immortal Gu.
Some required combinations of dream path mortal Gu that were almost impossible to gather in the current era.
Fang Yuan gave them with a calm expression.
From his perspective, these were valuable but safely limited.
Without dream path Immortal Gu, Fang Ming could not use them.
Without mature dream path materials, he could not even refine enough supporting mortal Gu.
Without future dream path accumulation, he could only stare at most of the information.
But Fang Ming's heart stirred.
Dream Wings Immortal Gu.
Several of these killer move structures clearly matched Feng Jin Huang's future direction.
Fang Yuan did not know Fang Ming had Dream Feather Immortal Gu.
Dream Feather was not Dream Wings, but it was copied from Dream Wings and was similar in essence. It allowed safe dream entry, movement through dreams, exploration of hidden dream spaces, and retreat from danger. It did not solve dream stages automatically, but as a core, it could support similar structures.
Information asymmetry created the greatest profit.
Fang Yuan believed he had given difficult high-level knowledge.
Fang Ming saw usable foundations.
Of course, Fang Ming showed no reaction.
He only memorized everything.
After the transfer ended, Fang Yuan held Strong Will Immortal Gu and said, "The deal is concluded."
Fang Ming nodded. "The deal is concluded."
Both men were satisfied.
Both men also knew the other was hiding something.
Fang Yuan had given much, but he had chosen the shape of the knowledge carefully.
Fang Ming had given an Immortal Gu, but not his original one, and not the full truth of his dream path foundation.
This was not betrayal.
This was business between demonic path Gu Immortals.
After leaving the side hall, Fang Ming stood for a moment near Dang Hun Mountain.
Hu Immortal blessed land was quiet.
The guts Gu trade would continue.
The Star Form competition remained unresolved.
Song Zi Xing's head still hung in the future like a bloody gate.
But Fang Ming's attention had already shifted.
Dream path.
He had Dream Feather Immortal Gu.
He had dream materials from the collapsing blessed land.
He now had Fang Yuan's recipes, experience, killer moves, and locations.
What he lacked was not immortal essence stones.
His current industries were already strong.
Eight food beast formations were functioning and selling at fixed prices. Eighteen factories operated inside his strength path aperture. Nine produced Ironclad one-time-use immortal killer move totems for sale. Nine produced Tyrannical Crash totems for his private military accumulation.
Money was no longer the first bottleneck.
Manpower was.
Dream path mortal Gu refinement would require many hands. The Eagle Sect disciples could support the early stage, especially through segmented production like the totem factories. But long term, it was not enough.
He needed more villages.
More Gu Masters.
More refinement workers.
More future immortal seeds.
He should have expanded earlier.
It was not too late.
The four fairies would be sent out to gather more people. Carefully. Quietly. In batches. Eastern Sea, Northern Plains edges, isolated islands, disaster-struck settlements, mortal tribes without protectors — there were always people who could be moved if one had methods.
As for dream path materials, Fang Ming's gaze deepened.
Dream Feather could enter dreams.
It could search dreams.
It could help create or connect to dream spaces.
The outside world lacked dream path materials because the era had not yet arrived.
But dreams themselves contained them.
He would have to retreat.
Digest the knowledge.
Prepare the Eagle Sect.
Build the first dream path production chain before the world even understood what dream path truly meant.
Fang Ming turned and left Hu Immortal blessed land.
Behind him, Fang Yuan watched from afar, Strong Will Immortal Gu already stored away.
Fang Yuan's eyes were calm.
Fang Ming's back disappeared.
Both had gained.
Both had paid.
And both believed they had left themselves an advantage.