Chapter 189: Unleash Star Constellation
A few minutes passed.
In ordinary times, a few minutes meant little to Gu Immortals. In this battlefield, every breath could change the direction of the world. Tyrannical Barbarian Ancient Formation moved farther and farther away from Yi Tian Mountain, its giant barbarian body stepping across the ruined land with heavy, uneven movements. The formation was not retreating calmly. It was running.
Fang Yuan's expression was ugly. He had already tried persuading, threatening, and reasoning, but the Eagle Sect Gu Immortals refused to turn back. Fairy Huang Sha's face was pale, Fairy Qing Suo kept silent, Fairy Fen Meng's breathing was unstable, Ju Go's eyes avoided Fang Yuan's gaze, and Bian Si Xuan focused only on keeping the formation moving. They had seen Spectral Soul's rank nine soul body, Heaven Overseeing Tower's collapse, myriad tribulations, and Bo Qing's sword light. Their hearts had already been shaken. Fang Ming had pulled them away from the battlefield, and none of them wanted to return.
Fang Yuan could not force them. Tyrannical Barbarian Ancient Formation's authority had been arranged by Fang Ming from the beginning. Fang Yuan could pour strength outward through the formation body, but he could not freely use his own Gu inside it, nor could he cut off the formation connection. Fang Ming was still trapped in dream, lying motionless inside the formation core, and the second layer of control belonged to the Eagle Sect Gu Immortals. No matter how cold Fang Yuan's gaze became, the giant barbarian continued moving away.
Behind them, Yi Tian Mountain was no longer a mountain. Tribulations had reshaped the land into a broken wilderness of pits, melted stone, deep cracks, and shattered dao marks. The sky above the battlefield darkened again. After Wind Lightning Prison had been torn apart, heaven's will sent down the next myriad tribulation.
Vine Dragon Tribulation descended.
Countless thorny green vines shot out from the sky and rose from the ground, twisting like dragons as they coiled around Spectral Soul's soul body. In a few breaths, vines covered him layer after layer, forming a vast green sphere around his giant form. The thorns pierced into his soul, treating the Demon Venerable's soul body as nutrients, and wood path dao marks surged violently.
Spectral Soul did not resist at first.
This immediately caused the Heavenly Court Gu Immortals to feel alarmed. Spectral Soul had destroyed Wind Lightning Prison with brutal force, so his silence now could not be weakness. Soon, Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord and the remaining Heavenly Court Gu Immortals realized the truth. Shadow Sect had deduced the tribulations in advance. Spectral Soul was using Vine Dragon Tribulation as part of the refinement, allowing the tribulation's dao marks to carve into his soul body and transform the damage into material for the ten extreme immortal zombie lifeless formation.
Within the dark clouds of the formation, the round ball of light became clearer. Its surface shone with many colors, and its aura grew more complete with each passing breath. Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu was nearing completion. After Zombie Alliance's sacrifice, Sacred Feather City's fall, Shadow Sect's accumulated foundation, and several terrifying tribulations, the final result of tens of thousands of years of planning was finally taking shape.
Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord's heart sank. He knew Heavenly Court could no longer observe and wait. If Spectral Soul's refinement succeeded, the consequences would be beyond calculation. He revealed Heaven Overseeing Tower's final hidden method, a confidential attack created through generations of research by the tower lords. This method could redirect the power of a myriad tribulation, but its cost was death.
The Heavenly Court Gu Immortals fell silent for a moment, then one after another, some chose to remain inside the tower. Others were sent toward white heaven to recover the remains of Heaven Overseeing Tower and, most importantly, Fate Gu. Heavenly Court had paid a tremendous price to bring Fate Gu here; even if the tower shattered, Fate Gu could not be lost.
Heaven Overseeing Tower remained in phantom form as light descended from above and wrapped around it. Under Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord's control, the Vine Dragon Tribulation suddenly changed target. The countless thorny vines that had been feeding on Spectral Soul turned toward the ten extreme immortal zombie lifeless formation instead.
For the first time, Spectral Soul's expression changed.
Even with all his deductions, even with Shadow Sect's preparations across tens of thousands of years, he had not expected Heaven Overseeing Tower to possess a method that could directly manipulate a myriad tribulation. The vine dragons surged toward the formation. If they reached the core, the nearly completed Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu would be ruined.
Spectral Soul could no longer calmly use the tribulation as refinement material. His thousand arms moved, and his soul body transformed into countless forms, blocking the vine dragons from every direction. The clash shook the sky. One side controlled a myriad tribulation to destroy the formation, while the other used the remnant might of a Demon Venerable to defend it. Spectral Soul stood alone, but his methods were beyond normal battle logic. Vines shattered, soul forms dispersed, and dao marks collided like storms.
Heaven Overseeing Tower paid the price at the same time. The tower began to disassemble from within. Mortal Gu and Immortal Gu broke apart and flew out along the beam of light toward white heaven. Every few breaths, a Heavenly Court rank eight Gu Immortal died inside the tower to maintain the method. Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord remained until the end. Before his death, he cursed Spectral Soul, his voice filled with Heavenly Court's unbending will.
Then Heaven Overseeing Tower broke apart.
The remaining pieces scattered into light and Gu worms, rushing toward white heaven, while the surviving Heavenly Court Gu Immortals hurriedly collected the fragments. Fate Gu had to be recovered. That was their final duty.
Spectral Soul had protected the formation, but the cost was severe. His giant soul body shrank rapidly. From thousands of meters, he became hundreds of meters, then only a few meters tall. His body became translucent, swaying under the wind, and his once overwhelming aura weakened sharply. Most of his soul path dao marks had been consumed, carved away, or spent resisting the redirected Vine Dragon Tribulation.
At this moment, Earth Collapse faded.
Immortal zombie Bo Qing broke free from restriction and flew toward Spectral Soul like a streak of sword light. Mo Yao's remnant soul controlled the body, her emotions surging violently. She demanded Bo Qing's revival, but Spectral Soul's answer was cold. The split soul that had created Bo Qing had already been destroyed in the myriad tribulations. If Spectral Soul revived, then Bo Qing would naturally revive as part of him. That was the promise he offered.
Mo Yao was furious and attacked.
But Spectral Soul had prepared for this long ago. The sword path Immortal Gu inside Bo Qing's immortal zombie body contained his will, and the body that once terrified the world froze before him. Mo Yao's resistance vanished almost instantly. Spectral Soul pulled out her remnant soul and devoured it in one mouthful, slightly condensing his weakened soul body.
With this last bit of support, he turned toward the formation.
The dark fog had vanished. The ten extreme immortal zombies were gone. In the center of the formation floated one newly refined Gu, shining with nine-colored light.
Rank nine Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu.
Spectral Soul's eyes filled with emotion. After tens of thousands of years, after countless deductions, sacrifices, hidden forces, split souls, and schemes against Heavenly Court and heaven's will, the Gu had finally been refined. This was the body he wanted, the body that could surpass the limitations of venerables, the body of a complete otherworldly demon.
He did not immediately move. The closer he came to success, the more cautious he became.
Spectral Soul scanned the battlefield.
The investigative Gu worms Heavenly Court left behind in white heaven were destroyed by a breath of spectral qi. His soul path investigation swept over the ruined land around Yi Tian Mountain, examining every remaining threat. He saw the battlefield that had been completely transformed by tribulations. The terrain was no longer what it had been. Mountains had been broken, valleys erased, space disturbed, and dao marks scattered chaotically.
Then he saw Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was trapped inside Tyrannical Barbarian Ancient Formation, which was moving away from the battlefield in a hurried retreat. The distance between them had already become huge. Even if Fang Yuan escaped the formation immediately, he could not make it back in time. Fixed Immortal Travel was also useless here; the terrain around Yi Tian Mountain had been altered beyond recognition by the tribulations, and any previous location impression was unreliable.
Spectral Soul then looked toward Fang Ming.
Fang Ming was in an even worse state. He was still lying inside the formation as if trapped in dream, and the eagles he had released earlier had all died under the tribulations and aftershocks. Without the eagles, and with Fang Ming seemingly unconscious, Teleport Gu alone did not make him an immediate threat. Spectral Soul remained cautious. He never underestimated heaven's will's schemes. But from what he could see, the greatest external threats had been forced far away from the center.
Ying Wu Xie flew near Spectral Soul. His lifespan was almost exhausted, but there was still a short period left. Spectral Soul judged it sufficient. He only needed a little more time. His weakened soul body began to collapse inward, condensing into a ball-like soul that floated toward Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu.
Inside Tyrannical Barbarian Ancient Formation, Fang Ming opened his eyes in the dream.
He smiled.
The moment that decided greatness had finally arrived.
Unravel dream activated. The dream around Fang Ming rippled and broke apart. His consciousness returned to his body, and his eyes opened inside the formation core.
Fang Yuan noticed immediately. He had been waiting anxiously for this moment. "Release the formation restrictions. Let me use my Gu. We need to go back now."
Fang Ming ignored him.
He did not answer Fang Yuan, nor did he look at the Eagle Sect Gu Immortals. Instead, his thoughts moved, and an immortal killer move activated silently.
Unknown to Ghost Dead Eagle Eye immortal killer move.
This killer move combined two parts. The first was based on Thieving Heaven's killer move template, Unknown to Ghost, concealing the investigation so Spectral Soul Demon Venerable could not notice it through soul inspection. The second was Dead Eagle Eye, created from Eagle Eye Immortal Gu and many mortal Gu, allowing Fang Ming to see through the eyes of his dead eagles scattered around the battlefield. These eagles were no longer living scouts. They were corpses buried under rubble, torn apart by tribulations, or lying among broken stones.
Through those dead eyes, Fang Ming saw the battlefield.
He only needed one glance to confirm both the timing and the current situation. More importantly, he needed to see the terrain. After so many tribulations, Yi Tian Mountain's surroundings had been completely altered. Fang Ming could not teleport safely if he did not know where he was teleporting.
Spectral Soul had become a soul ball and was flying toward Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu. Ying Wu Xie was beside him. Heaven Overseeing Tower had shattered. Bo Qing had been suppressed. Earth Collapse had ended. The Gu was exposed.
Fang Ming deactivated Unknown to Ghost Dead Eagle Eye immortal killer move.
Fang Yuan's voice turned colder. "Fang Ming."
Fang Ming still ignored him.
The formation core rumbled. Teleport Gu rose within Fang Ming's aperture, and one-time-use teleport immortal killer move tattoos began burning one after another. These tattoos had not been prepared for ordinary escape. They were materials for the killer move Fang Ming had designed for this exact moment.
Formation teleport immortal killer move—
Unleash Star Constellation.
Far away, beside Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu, Spectral Soul's soul ball was about to enter the Gu. At that instant, space twisted violently.
A sealed dream realm appeared directly beside him.
It was the Star Constellation dream realm Fang Ming had stolen from Central Continent. The sealing formation and the Gu maintaining it self-destructed the instant it arrived. The dream realm, which had been tightly sealed and compressed, spread outward like water bursting from a broken dam.
Spectral Soul froze.
For one instant, even he seemed stunned. Then he understood.
"Heaven's will!"
His roar shook the battlefield, but it could not stop the dream realm from spreading. Star Constellation's dream path power surged outward, enveloping Spectral Soul's soul ball. Ying Wu Xie, who had been guarding beside him, was caught as well. Spectral Soul had resisted grand tribulations, myriad tribulations, Heavenly Court, and betrayal, but at this final instant, he was dragged into dream.
The dream realm continued spreading toward Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu.
Before it could reach the Gu, Fang Ming teleported.
His figure appeared beside the newly refined rank nine Gu. There was no hesitation in his eyes. The virtual refinement power of his copy system activated instantly, wrapping around Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu.
The Gu vanished into his copy system space.
This was the true theft.
Fang Ming immediately tried to flee. Teleport Gu's aura flared again, and his body shot away from the spreading dream realm. But Star Constellation's dream realm had erupted too close, and its expansion was far faster than he could fully escape. The edge of the dream realm touched him.
Fang Ming fell into dream.
This was one of the worst situations he could encounter. Ying Wu Xie's Pure Dream Reality Seeker Physique would soon reach rank nine and explode, creating a massive dream realm that could seal Spectral Soul and Ying Wu Xie for good. Spectral Soul might survive because his soul was unimaginably tenacious, but Fang Ming would not. With his current dream path methods, he would die before escaping a dream realm of that scale.
But Fang Ming did not panic.
He had rehearsed this plan for months. He had considered failure, delay, backlash, counterattack, dream path contamination, and the possibility that he would be caught after stealing Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu. This was not a comfortable outcome, but it was not outside his preparations.
Far from the center, inside Tyrannical Barbarian Ancient Formation, Fang Yuan's expression was extremely ugly.
Fang Ming had ignored him. He had left him trapped inside the formation and teleported alone back to the battlefield. Fang Yuan had already understood that Fang Ming never intended to let him return freely, but seeing it happen before his eyes still made killing intent surge in his heart.
He turned toward the Eagle Sect Gu Immortals. "Turn around."
The giant formation body continued moving away.
Before Fang Yuan could speak again, Bian Si Xuan suddenly cried out in disbelief, "Why would he do that? Why? Why?"
The other Eagle Sect Gu Immortals froze. Then their faces turned pale.
Fang Yuan followed their gaze and quickly noticed the abnormality. He was not a formation path expert, but he could still tell what was happening. Tyrannical Barbarian Ancient Formation was self-destructing.
The self-destruction was not aimed outward.
It was aimed inward.
The power gathering inside the formation was comparable to a peak rank seven expert's full-force attack, and everyone trapped within the formation was at the center of it. Fang Yuan and the Eagle Sect Gu Immortals could not freely use their Immortal Gu inside the formation, which meant they could not defend themselves properly.
Fang Yuan shouted immediately, "Use immortal killer moves outward! Exhaust the formation's reserves. If the reserves are depleted, the self-destruction will fail!"
For a brief instant, hope appeared in the Eagle Sect Gu Immortals' eyes. Then they saw Bian Si Xuan's expression.
She was responsible for maintaining Tyrannical Barbarian's consumption. She knew better than anyone how deep the reserve was. Her face was filled with despair as she slowly pointed toward the reserve core.
The others rushed over.
When they saw what was inside, several Eagle Sect Gu Immortals collapsed to the ground.
Fang Yuan stared at the reserve core, his pupils shrinking.
More than two hundred thousand immortal essence stones were stored there.
At that moment, many questions flashed through his mind. Why did Fang Ming place such a terrifying reserve inside this formation? Was this prepared from the start? Was it meant to trap enemies, allies, or him specifically? Had Fang Ming already planned to abandon even his own Eagle Sect Gu Immortals?
But there was no time for answers.
Only a few seconds remained before the formation self-destructed.
Fang Yuan's expression turned ice-cold. There was only one path left.
Spring Autumn Cicada.
He gambled everything and activated it.