Chapter 195: Star Concealment
Fang Ming did not trust the original flow of events. The more he thought about it, the clearer this became. He did not trust Fang Yuan to reach the result he needed, because Fang Yuan had his own plans, his own benefits, and his own path. Even if Fang Yuan also wanted to seize the rank nine Immortal Gu, that did not mean his actions would protect Fang Ming's future.
He also did not trust Star Constellation's arrangements. Star Constellation Immortal Venerable had fused with heaven's will, and heaven's will was the dominant side, but Fang Ming did not believe Star Constellation had become a mindless remnant. A venerable was still a venerable. Even if she was restricted, even if she could not act freely, her consciousness and arrangements could still influence the direction of events.
If everything remained within her expectations, she might allow the flow to continue. But once things left her grasp, would she still remain silent? Fang Ming did not believe so.
Right now, from Star Constellation's perspective, Fang Ming was still hidden in the dark. He was only a variable that had not fully surfaced. But once Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu appeared in his hands, the situation would change completely. An otherworldly demon, a rank six Gu Immortal, and a rank nine Immortal Gu appearing outside the expected arrangement would not look like a small accident. It would look like a chess piece placed by some unknown venerable.
It would raise too many questions. Who supported Fang Ming? Which venerable stood behind him? How did a rank six Gu Immortal obtain Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu before the proper moment? These questions could not be answered easily, and unanswered questions were often treated as threats.
Fang Yuan was different. Fang Yuan was a shared piece. Many venerables had arrangements around him because they had a common interest in destroying Fate Gu. They did not all like him, and they did not all share the same final goal, but at least before Fate Gu was destroyed, Fang Yuan could be tolerated because he represented a path that many sides could use.
Fang Ming could not expect the same treatment. If he suddenly took out Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu, the venerables might not see him as another Fang Yuan. They might see him as another Spectral Soul, a wild piece outside their calculations, one that had to be suppressed before it could grow.
That meant many things Fang Yuan could rely on were now dangerous to Fang Ming. Venerable inheritances were no longer simple opportunities. They could be traps. Arrangements that once helped Fang Yuan might instead target him. The more Fang Ming stepped outside the original path, the less reliable his knowledge became. His road would not be easier than Fang Yuan's. It might be harder.
From now on, Fang Ming could only rely on himself, his copy system, and whatever fragments of plot knowledge still remained useful after his own changes shattered the original direction. Because of that, one matter could not be left to chance. Spectral Soul had to be trapped.
Heavenly Court would suffer damage after Yi Tian Mountain. Even if they remained powerful, their rank eight experts would need time to recover and reorganize. Shadow Sect would also be heavily wounded. Without Spectral Soul moving freely, their immediate threat would drop greatly. But Spectral Soul himself was different.
Other venerables were mostly waiting behind arrangements before Fate Gu's destruction. They could influence, guide, and scheme, but they were not jumping back from death again and again with their main body. Spectral Soul was. If he avoided the dream realm and returned to the Door of Life and Death, even in a weakened state, he could rest, recover, slaughter millions, absorb souls, and rise again. Once that happened, Fang Ming would be facing a pseudo-rank-nine monster with true rank-nine attainment and methods.
The current Fang Ming could not resist that. No formation, business, sect, copied Gu, or hidden arrangement would matter if Spectral Soul personally came for him.
Therefore, Fang Ming still followed the path he had prepared in the previous timeline. He used Eagle Sect Gu Masters and his own arrangements to approach the Starry Sky grotto-heaven fragment world. He did not personally appear in the open, nor did he disturb Fang Yuan's movements. Through layered preparations, expendable channels, and carefully arranged Gu Masters, he stole and preserved Star Constellation's dream realm just as he had done before.
The process was not stretched out because it had been prepared long ago. The dream realm was sealed, transferred, and hidden. Fang Ming did not care whether the original plot would have sent this dream realm to the correct place, nor did he care whether Star Constellation had her own design or whether Fang Yuan would trigger the right result by coincidence. Fang Ming did not gamble his life on other people's plans. If Spectral Soul had to be trapped, Fang Ming would arrange the trap himself.
His plan was firm. When Spectral Soul was weakened, Fang Ming would detonate Star Constellation's dream realm on him. The dream only needed to hold Spectral Soul temporarily. Once Ying Wu Xie's rank-nine dream realm detonation erupted and expanded, Spectral Soul would be swallowed more deeply. That would give Fang Ming the breathing room he needed.
After this arrangement was complete, Fang Ming turned to another problem: concealment. Once Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu appeared, every region's wisdom path Gu Immortals would move. Heavenly Court, Shadow Sect, righteous path super forces, demonic path experts, hidden old monsters—anyone who sensed profit or danger would try to deduce him.
He could not stop all deductions forever, but he needed warning. He needed delay. He needed enough time to hide inside a blessed land, activate stronger defenses, or cut off exposed traces before the deduction fully reached him. For this, Fang Ming thought of a Gu: Star Concealment Gu.
Fang Yuan had previously approached him, asking for investment to refine this wisdom path Gu. Back then, Fang Ming had refused without hesitation. Investing resources so Fang Yuan could refine a Gu for himself was not a trade. It was charity, and Fang Ming did not do charity.
But now, the situation had changed. Fang Ming contacted Fang Yuan, and when Fang Yuan's image appeared through the information path method, his expression was calm.
"Fang Ming, you contacted me first this time. What business do you have?"
Fang Ming did not circle around. "I am willing to sponsor your refinement of Star Concealment Gu."
Fang Yuan's gaze shifted slightly. A while ago, he had indeed asked Fang Ming for investment, but Fang Ming had rejected him directly. Now Fang Ming had taken the initiative to bring it up. This meant Fang Ming needed the Gu.
"Oh?" Fang Yuan smiled faintly. "You changed your mind?"
"A trade depends on timing. Back then, I had no need. Now I do."
"What do you offer?"
"One thousand immortal essence stones worth of materials," Fang Ming said. "After you refine Star Concealment Gu, lend it to me for one week."
Fang Yuan chuckled. "One thousand?"
His tone made the number sound like an insult.
Fang Ming narrowed his eyes slightly. "It is an investment. I am not buying the Gu."
"You are borrowing it for one week," Fang Yuan replied. "And if you are willing to contact me for this, that one week must be important."
Fang Ming looked at him silently.
Fang Yuan continued, "Three thousand immortal essence stones worth of materials."
Fang Ming's face darkened. "Fang Yuan, your appetite is not small."
"You came to me."
"Three thousand is too high."
"Then find someone else to refine it."
The room fell silent. Fang Ming stared at Fang Yuan, while Fang Yuan calmly met his gaze. Both of them understood what was happening. Fang Yuan was taking advantage.
In this timeline, Fang Ming suspected Fang Yuan might not even need this investment. Fang Yuan had most likely already robbed Zombie Alliance of many materials. Perhaps the refinement could proceed without Fang Ming giving anything. But Fang Yuan knew Fang Ming needed Star Concealment Gu, and that alone was enough.
Fang Ming argued a little longer, but Fang Yuan refused to lower the price. In the end, Fang Ming laughed coldly and said, "Fine. Three thousand immortal essence stones worth of materials."
Fang Yuan's smile widened slightly. "Good."
"But I have one condition," Fang Ming said.
"Speak."
"You must refine Star Concealment Gu by next week. If the Gu is not ready by then, the opportunity I am chasing will be lost. At that point, the deal is off."
Fang Yuan's eyes flickered. Next week. So Fang Ming truly had something urgent. He did not know what Fang Ming was chasing, but the more urgent Fang Ming was, the more this trade proved its value.
Fang Yuan nodded. "Agreed."
Fang Ming ended the contact soon after. His expression was calm, but his mood was not pleasant. This time, he had been slaughtered by Fang Yuan. Three thousand immortal essence stones worth of materials was not a small amount, especially when his current resources had many uses. Dream realm formations needed expansion. Tattoo production needed support. Fair Market had to be sold or closed. Yi Tian Mountain preparations were burning through resources silently.
But Star Concealment Gu was necessary. A foolish trade could still be accepted if the result was valuable enough.
A week passed.
Fang Yuan contacted Fang Ming again and told him the Gu was ready.
Fang Ming received the message and soon met Fang Yuan through their agreed channel. Star Concealment Gu was handed over. Its aura was subtle, carrying both star path and wisdom path traces, as if starlight had been folded into a veil. It did not feel fierce, nor did it look impressive, but Fang Ming valued it greatly.
This was not a Gu meant to win battles. It was a Gu meant to prevent enemies from finding where the battle should begin.
Fang Ming borrowed it for the agreed week, then copied it. In his virtual refinement space, a new Star Concealment Gu appeared quietly. He inspected the copied Gu and began testing its effect.
Its defense was not absolute. Against strong wisdom path experts, it could only delay. Against rank eight-level deduction methods, it might collapse quickly if used alone. But that was not the point. Its value was warning.
When deduction targeted him, Star Concealment Gu could blur the traces, block weaker attempts, delay stronger ones, and alert Fang Ming before the protection was broken. Once warned, Fang Ming could hide inside a blessed land, cut off exposed clues, or activate deeper concealment methods. This was the layer he needed. Not invincibility, but time. A brief delay could decide survival.
After confirming the Gu's function, Fang Ming returned the original Star Concealment Gu to Fang Yuan as promised. The transaction ended cleanly. Fang Yuan received the Gu back without showing suspicion, and Fang Ming also did not show satisfaction. Both acted as if this was only a costly but ordinary transaction. In Fang Ming's hands, however, another hidden card had been added.
Fang Ming stood alone afterward, letting his thoughts settle one by one. Star Constellation's dream realm had been stolen and preserved. Star Concealment Gu had been copied. The trap for Spectral Soul had its foundation, and his defense against future wisdom path deductions had gained another layer.
Yet Fang Ming did not feel safe. He understood his situation too clearly. He was carrying a rank nine Immortal Gu that should not be in his hands. Fang Yuan had returned with memories. Shadow Sect was still moving toward Yi Tian Mountain. Heavenly Court was closing in from above. Star Constellation's will, heaven's will, venerable arrangements, and countless hidden schemes were all waiting in the dark.
The help Fang Yuan once received might not come to him. The opportunities Fang Yuan once used might become snares beneath his feet. From now on, Fang Ming could not walk as if he were following a known path. He had already changed too much.
But that was fine.
Fang Ming looked toward the distance, his expression calm. He had never intended to survive by following another man's footsteps forever. Yi Tian Mountain was getting closer, and before that storm arrived, he would prepare every blade, every shield, every escape route, and every trap he could.