Chapter 183: Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage Moves
The ten extreme immortal zombie lifeless formation covered heaven and earth.
Dark clouds spread across the sky above Yi Tian Mountain, swallowing the battlefield until distance itself seemed to blur. Formation light moved within the darkness like veins beneath skin. The ground trembled again and again, and every tremor carried a force that made the ruined mountain groan as if it were about to collapse completely.
Yi Tian Mountain was no longer a battlefield between righteous and demonic Gu Masters.
It was not even a gambling board for Southern Border Gu Immortals anymore.
It had become Shadow Sect's domain.
The Southern Border Gu Immortals understood this too late.
Moments ago, they had been furious over Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage. They had cursed the hidden thief, released immortal auras, pressured their pawns, and searched for the one who had stolen the result of their months of effort. But after the ten extreme immortal zombie lifeless formation appeared, their anger lost its place.
They tried to break out first.
Immortal killer moves struck the formation boundary from several directions. Blazing light, blade shadows, beast phantoms, blood clouds, thunder spears, and countless other methods crashed into the darkness. The attacks shook the formation, causing ripples to spread across the black clouds, but the formation did not break.
Then the tribulations descended.
Pearl-like lights fell from the sky in endless numbers, beautiful and merciless. Dark flying frost swept through the air, freezing flesh, Gu worms, and protective barriers alike. Dragon roars echoed through the clouds, and the sound alone made weaker Gu Immortals spit blood. Inferno clouds rolled across the formation like burning mountains, while lightning tore open the darkness again and again.
The Southern Border Gu Immortals defended, counterattacked, and fled between gaps, but every path became narrower. Shadow Sect's Gu Immortals attacked from within the formation, forcing them into the tribulations whenever they tried to gather strength. One rank six Gu Immortal was struck by pearl-light and shattered together with his defensive killer move. Another tried to escape through frost, only to be sealed into a block of dark ice before breaking apart under a dragon roar. A rank seven expert forced his way through three waves, but before he could breathe, a Shadow Sect attack pierced through his back and threw him into the next tribulation.
The immortals who once watched mortal Gu Masters die for their wager now fled like beasts inside a cage.
Their rage became fear.
Their fear slowly became despair.
Inside Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage, Fang Ming watched the changes through the Immortal Gu House's perception. The red light around the Gu House flickered as it moved through the formation's pressure. The surrounding space was heavy, and every direction felt layered with obstruction. Ordinary movement methods were meaningless here. Teleportation could not simply cross the formation. Even Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage, a rank eight Immortal Gu House, could not charge out casually.
Fang Yuan also sensed it.
The two of them had succeeded in taking the battle will, but possession was not the same as freedom. The Immortal Gu House still needed power, coordination, and an opening. Without those, it was only a treasure trapped inside a larger trap.
Fang Yuan's voice sounded through the connection between them. "This formation seals space tightly. Fixed Immortal Travel would be useless here."
Fang Ming replied calmly, "That is why I told you not to waste immortal essence elsewhere."
Fang Yuan did not refute him.
Earlier, Fang Ming had refused to suppress the Great Strength True Martial immortal zombie and had treated escape as uncertain even after gaining Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage. At the time, Fang Yuan had thought Fang Ming was being too cautious. Now, with tribulations descending, Shadow Sect revealing itself, and the formation sealing the battlefield, that caution no longer seemed excessive.
The situation was worse than what most Gu Immortals could imagine.
Fang Ming controlled Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage's movement carefully, letting it drift within the chaotic battlefield rather than forcing a reckless charge. Fang Yuan supplied immortal essence only when necessary, preserving the rank nine yellow apricot immortal essence as much as possible. Southern Border Gu Immortals, Shadow Sect, tribulations, and the formation itself were all moving at once. Every careless action could attract pressure from several sides.
For now, the chaos gave them cover.
The Southern Border Gu Immortals were too busy surviving to focus on the thief who had stolen Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage. Shadow Sect's formation was not yet calm. The tribulations were striking everything within range. Fang Ming used these moments to deepen his control of the Gu House's movement, while Fang Yuan familiarized himself with the Gu House's attack and defense.
Their cooperation was rough, but both were fast learners.
Fang Ming's will moved through the time path structure of Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage, guiding its position and rhythm. He focused on movement, avoidance, and keeping the Gu House from being pinned down by the formation. Fang Yuan handled the flow of Giant Sun immortal essence, preparing to activate defense or attack when necessary. Neither trusted the other fully, but the agreement gave them a practical division.
In this situation, trust was not needed.
Only benefit and survival mattered.
Above the formation, far beyond the reach of the Southern Border Gu Immortals, a tall white tower hovered silently.
Heaven Overseeing Tower.
Within the tower, Heavenly Court Gu Immortals looked down at the battlefield. They had crossed regional walls through white heaven and arrived without resting, so their condition was not at its peak, but every one of them was still an elite among rank eight Gu Immortals. Their gazes pierced through the formation, tribulations, and chaos, watching Shadow Sect's arrangement unfold.
Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord held his walking stick, his expression deep.
The Southern Border Gu Immortals were dying quickly. The ten extreme immortal zombie lifeless formation had already become a giant cage. The tribulations grew stronger wave by wave, as if heaven's will itself wanted to crush the scheme below. But Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord did not rush.
Shadow Sect had not revealed all its cards.
Bo Qing had not acted openly.
The deeper the enemy's foundation, the more important patience became.
A Heavenly Court Gu Immortal beside him frowned. "Tower Lord, if we wait longer, the Southern Border Gu Immortals may all die."
Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord said plainly, "They are not the core issue."
The other Gu Immortal fell silent.
To Heavenly Court, the lives of Southern Border Gu Immortals were secondary. Shadow Sect's plan was the true target. If striking later could reveal more of the enemy's arrangement, then waiting was worth the cost.
Heaven Overseeing Tower remained still.
Inside the formation, another gaze turned toward the sky.
Immortal zombie Bo Qing stood hidden within Shadow Sect's arrangement. His eyes were sharp, and the sword path aura around him was restrained but terrifying. He could tell that Heavenly Court had arrived. He could also tell that Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord was waiting.
Since Heavenly Court refused to move, Shadow Sect would force the next step.
Bo Qing's will moved.
Deep within the formation, a vast Immortal Gu House revealed itself.
Sacred Feather City.
It appeared suddenly, majestic and grand, like a city descending from the clouds. Its walls carried the aura of a long history, and the entire Immortal Gu House moved with heavy pressure. The moment it appeared, even the Gu Immortals inside Heaven Overseeing Tower showed surprise.
Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord's eyes narrowed.
Shadow Sect had hidden an entire Immortal Gu House inside the ten extreme immortal zombie lifeless formation, and even he had not sensed it beforehand. This alone showed how deep Shadow Sect's arrangements were.
Sacred Feather City did not hesitate.
It crashed downward toward Yi Tian Mountain.
The ruined mountain lay beneath it. Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage was also there.
The pressure of an Immortal Gu House descending directly was completely different from ordinary immortal killer moves. Space seemed to groan beneath the weight of Sacred Feather City. The collapsed remains of Yi Tian Mountain shattered further before it even arrived, and countless mortal corpses were swept away by the force.
Inside Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage, Fang Yuan's expression changed.
"Sacred Feather City," he said.
He had recognized it.
But recognizing it did not make the situation easier.
Sacred Feather City was crashing toward them with full force. If Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage remained inactive or delayed, they would lose the initiative immediately. Fang Ming also understood this. The time for slow adjustment was over.
"Immortal essence," Fang Ming said.
Fang Yuan did not hesitate.
A portion of Giant Sun's yellow apricot immortal essence flowed into Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage. The effect was immediate. Red light surged around the Immortal Gu House like a volcano awakening. The weak glow from before expanded rapidly, dyeing the surrounding darkness crimson.
Fang Ming took over movement.
Fang Yuan coordinated defense and attack.
The Immortal Gu House rose.
Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage shot upward like a crimson meteor, meeting Sacred Feather City directly. Fang Ming adjusted its angle at the last moment, avoiding a direct collision against the heaviest part of Sacred Feather City's descent. Fang Yuan poured power into the Gu House's defensive layer, then turned that defense into a counter-impact through the Gu House's time path structure.
The two Gu Houses collided.
Boom!
The explosion shook the formation.
A massive shock wave spread across the battlefield, scattering tribulation remnants, tearing apart dark clouds, and sending ruined stone from Yi Tian Mountain flying in every direction. Several Southern Border Gu Immortals who had been trying to flee were thrown back by the impact. Even Shadow Sect's Gu Immortals paused for an instant.
Sacred Feather City was sent flying.
Its walls cracked. City gates buckled. Large pieces of structure broke off and scattered through the air, turning into dead Gu worms as they fell. The grand city that had descended with crushing momentum was knocked back by Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage in one collision.
Inside Sacred Feather City, Bo Qing's expression changed.
Inside Heaven Overseeing Tower, several Heavenly Court Gu Immortals also showed surprise.
Rank nine immortal essence.
Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage was a rank eight Immortal Gu House, but with Giant Sun Immortal Venerable's yellow apricot immortal essence as fuel, the power it displayed far surpassed ordinary activation. More importantly, the Gu House had not moved clumsily. Its movement, defense, and counterattack had been coordinated.
This was not one person using it in a panic.
There were at least two wills working together.
Inside Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage, Fang Yuan felt the collision's aftermath pass through the Gu House. He had defended and counterattacked at the correct time, but Fang Ming's movement control had also been decisive. If Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage had met Sacred Feather City head-on without adjustment, the result would not have been so clean.
Fang Yuan's eyes turned toward Fang Ming.
He now understood more clearly why Fang Ming had insisted on cooperation.
Fang Ming had predicted that a greater threat would appear. He had refused to waste immortal essence on other gains. He had contacted Fang Yuan before wiping out the Southern Border wills, offered a fair split, and secured Giant Sun immortal essence before the battlefield escalated.
Now Sacred Feather City had forced them to activate Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage under pressure.
Fang Ming's judgment had been correct.
That did not make Fang Yuan trust him more.
It made him more cautious.
Someone who could judge the situation this accurately was useful as an ally, but also difficult to deal with. Fang Yuan had lived five hundred years and had seen countless schemes, yet Shadow Sect's current display still exceeded his expectations. Fang Ming, however, had expected hidden depth from the beginning.
Outside, Sacred Feather City stabilized after being knocked back. Its damaged walls shone with light as Shadow Sect tried to maintain it. Bo Qing did not immediately charge again. Heaven Overseeing Tower still hovered above, silent and imposing. The ten extreme immortal zombie lifeless formation continued to rotate, while tribulations gathered once more in the sky.
For a brief moment, the entire battlefield seemed to pause.
But Fang Ming knew this pause was only the breath before another wave.
At this level, hiding their identities from Heavenly Court and Shadow Sect was pointless. Peak wisdom path experts could trace too much. Fang Ming and Fang Yuan's names, their Gu Yue village origin, the Northern Plains upheaval, Imperial Court blessed land, Eighty-Eight True Yang Building — all of it could be connected by those standing at the top. The question was not whether they could remain unknown forever.
The question was whether they could survive long enough to take what they wanted.
Fang Ming moved Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage back slightly, not chasing Sacred Feather City recklessly. Fang Yuan also restrained the flow of yellow apricot immortal essence. The collision had proved their power, but it had also announced that Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage was active and difficult to ignore.
More eyes would turn toward them now.
Fang Yuan understood this too.
"The first move is over," Fang Yuan said.
Fang Ming watched Sacred Feather City through the crimson light of the Gu House. "Yes."
Above them, Heaven Overseeing Tower remained still.
In the formation, Shadow Sect's hidden aura deepened.
Around them, tribulations continued to gather.
Graceful Chaotic Duel Stage had moved, but the path out of the formation had not opened.
The true battle between Immortal Gu Houses had only just begun.