Once known as Traveling Three Elites, their combined might capable of competing with weaker rank 7 gu immortals, Han Dong and Su Guang were left without Lu Qing Ming. The loss of a single rank 6 gu immortal crippled their greatest trump card, a vicious scheme conspired by this Chang Shan Yin, no doubt about it. Anyone who knew about the Traveling Three Elites also knew the best way to weaken them was by separating them, hindering the trio from cooperating together and activating a killer move of great strength and momentum.
Alone, however, Su Guang was a light path gu immortal without any offensive or defensive immortal killer moves and Han Dong was a transformation path gu immortal specializing in Desolate Spirit Snake transformation. How could the duo compare to the surrounding group of nine desolate beasts?!
The rank 6 gu immortal before them was a ruthless time and enslavement path expert!
Chang Shan Yin controlled the eight silver-furred wolves without giving the duo any chance to discern any weaknesses in the battle formation. The eight wolves howled and jumped the gu immortals. Meanwhile, Chang Shan Yin's body shook as he activated an immortal killer move. Silver smoke covered him and the bloodied desolate wolf below him. The sight greatly jolted the duo's minds!
'Not only is he controlling eight desolate beasts with fluid precision but he can still activate an immortal killer move to heal a desolate beast? This man is at least an enslavement path master! Oh, no! The pressure will greatly increase once he heals the wolf and focuses on the two of use entirely.' Su Guang thought quickly and communicated with Han Dong. The best way to defeat an enslavement path gu master was using the 'beheading the leader' tactic.
*Whoosh*
The silver fog lifted just as they started planning their counterattack, a fierce one at that. The corner of their eyes twitched as the wolf beneath Chang Shan Yin growled softly before stretching its body in comfort, its injuries already healed.
'A time path healing immortal killer move.' Han Dong cursed in his heart. Time path was known to change the duration of an effect, something Chang Shan Yin must have incorporated in his killer move to quickly heal the wolf's injuries. The inner workings of the killer move and how it dealt with the dao marks left in the earlier injuries, however, eluded Su Guang and Han Dong since they were not time path experts.
The ninth wolf jumped in as Chang Shan Yin leisurely floated and controlled the nine beasts to attack and prevent the two gu immortals from activating their methods.
'These beasts are different.' Han Dong noted after a while. He had a great insight into beasts due to his experiences as a transformation path gu immortal. Aside from the obvious differences in their features, the nine wolves were not the same.
Among the nine desolate wolves, six of them had circular patches of golden fur in the center of the forehead. Two of them, however, only had semi-circular patches of golden fur—cut vertically—in the center of their forehead. The remaining one had a crescent-shaped patch of golden fur.
'These are moon cycles?' Han Dong dodged hurriedly, faring significantly better compared to Su Guang since he was current transformed into a desolate beast and boasted a durable constitution. 'The Full Moon Wolves are the weakest. The wolves with patches of half moons are slightly stronger and the Crescent Wolf is the strongest of the bunch. It has the greatest accumulation of time path dao marks. But these wolves also have dao marks of another path.' He had a strong hunch that these were enslavement path dao marks, making them more susceptible to enslavement path methods and becoming a part of Chang Shan Yin's strength.
Earlier, the trio believed the Full Moon Wolf was something discovered by Long Hair Ancestor. Now, the duo struggled intensely as they realized that these wolves must be beasts nurtured with specific time path methods, making them a human creation instead of a wonder of nature.
Their greatest threat was none other than that strange movement killer move which placed a Full Moon Wolf directly behind Lu Qing Ming, spelling the latter's demise.
"We will remember this enmity, Chang Shan Yin!" Su Guang shouted after realizing it was useless continuing this battle as their enemy's control over the nine desolate beasts was simply too precise and fluid. The nine desolate beasts moved like tide at times before dispersing like silver mist and attacking from every direction like rain. Su Guang felt immense danger because he lacked immortal level defensive methods and his healing immortal killer move required some time to display its might. How could he stay in such a disadvantageous battleground?
The recollection of Lu Qing Ming's death flooded his veins with fury but his mind also tamed this anger.
Su Guang finally activated his light path movement immortal killer move, transforming into a sharp pillar of golden light! He vanished from sight as Han Dong took the chance to make a similar escape, leaving Chang Shan Yin alone with nine wolves howling in discontent.
"Hmph!" The rank 6 gu immortal snorted coldly.
"To think you have such a great battle strength. Only someone like you who can contend with three gu immortals of the same level could hope to become a demon venerable's inheritor."
Old Man Lang Ya's voice reached Chang Shan Yin.
"They got lucky," replied Chang Shan Yin, arrogance oozing from his tone and posture as the nine hill-sized silver-furred wolves gathered around him. "I couldn't create a battlefield immortal killer move to trap them without further causing issue for you. How else could this pathetic bunch escape?"
'Truly too arrogant.' Old Man Lang Ya sighed as he regarded Chang Shan Yin in a different light. 'To think this lad even possesses a battlefield immortal killer move. It seems his time path immortal inheritance had been quite complete.'
"Hehe, your appetite was too much, Chang Shan Yin. Who told you to store Lu Qing Ming's body in your immortal aperture and take his wind path dao marks accumulation by destroying his immortal aperture?"
Chang Shan Yin's expression changed slightly, not expecting Lang Ya Blessed Land to notice his actions. After all, the wolf that swallowed Lu Qing Ming acted like it was eating loudly. This act fooled Su Guang and Han Dong because they were unable to use mortal investigation killer moves. In reality, Chang Shan Yin had taken Lu Qing Ming's corpse into his immortal aperture.
A gu immortal's death does not mean the destruction of their immortal aperture. Instead, an immortal aperture fell upon the land and took in heaven and earth qi before transforming into a blessed land, birthing a land spirit based on the dead gu immortal's obsession. However, Chang Shan Yin's immortal aperture was not the main continent—it was a small world, its mechanism utterly controlled by the time path expert.
Lu Qing Ming's blessed land fell within Chang Shan Yin's immortal aperture, but why would Chang Shan Yin let this blessed land siphon his immortal aperture's heaven and earth qi? Without this necessary step, Lu Qing Ming's unstable immortal aperture exploded. While Lu Qing Ming's gu worms and blessed land were utterly destroyed, the dao marks of his blessed land became part of Chang Shan Yin's foundation!
"Heh, you saw it, eh?" Chang Shan Yin smiled after a moment. "Indeed. How else could those two have noticed me? The sudden addition of a substantial number of wind path dao marks caused some interference with my killer move, releasing my aura."
Old Man Lang Ya couldn't help but suggest after a moment.
"Actually, there's a better method to deal with the corpses of a gu immortal. I already noted your contribution of killing this gu immortal. I can increase the rewards if you let my blessed land swallow these apertures. As you already experienced, adding accumulation of other gu immortals might raise the foundation of your immortal aperture, but it also brings along the interference of the dao marks."
Chang Shan Yin nodded and spoke plainly.
"I'll consider it. But now isn't the time to think about these matters. Killing Lu Qing Ming of the Traveling Three Elites weakened the group. Han Dong and Su Guang won't pose too much of a threat as long as your restrictions remain. But… others are quite dangerous."
Old Man Lang Ya fell silent.
<<<>>>
Lo Jik continued moving throughout the continent, stealing a great number of immortal materials and even immortal gu worms with extreme efficiency. He had already snatched most of Lang Ya Blessed Land's greatest treasures, but the percentage of good stuff he appropriated for greater purpose from Lang Ya Blessed Land barely constituted to 20% of the blessed land's entire foundation. This included one of the supreme treasures of Long Hair True Inheritance. This simply revealed how great of a wealth Lang Ya Blessed Land accumulated over the years. Even Immemorial Desolate Grotto-Heaven didn't come close to this level of affluence despite boasting unique treasures known as Core Beasts.
'There's also the supreme treasures belonging to Giant Sun and Thieving Heaven True Inheritances. But I can't find them… Old Man Lang Ya must have moved them close to use as his trump card, especially that treasure left behind by Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable.'
Lo Jik worked his jaw.
'Should I try taking stealing Long Hair Refinement Formation?'
Long Hair True Inheritance did not only boast a great insight into refinement path alongside countless recipes and an incredible number of other true inheritances that Long Hair Ancestor accumulated in his lifetime, but it also had a few supreme treasures.
The first treasure was none other than Lang Ya Blessed Land in its entirety!
The second treasure was a super formation—Long Hair Refinement Formation. As the name suggested, it greatly supplemented gu refinement and material processing. Its core was another rank 8 refinement path immortal gu worm. However, a moment's consideration made Lo Jik ignore this treasure. He could dismantle this formation with his formation path attainment and understanding of Long Hair True Inheritance, gaining a large number of lucrative refinement path immortal gu worms. But doing so would require all of his attention. He couldn't do that with a grand battle taking place right above him.
Furthermore, his own immortal gu house was more suitable for his own needs. Lo Jik did not have enough resources to activate such a super formation. With time, and perhaps a clever use of Core Beasts, Lo Jik might even create a super formation far surpassing Long Hair Refinement Formation.
His greatest obstruction was the inability to acquire rare immortal materials, something he overcame a great deal in this session of plunder.
Lastly, Lo Jik had already checked off one of his greatest goals by stealing the third supreme treasure of Long Hair True Inheritance.
The immortal gu house in the blessed land could be considered the final supreme treasure boasting several mouth-watering immortal gu worms.
All he wanted now was to acquire that theft and luck path immortal gu worms.
'There's even that lotus immortal gu worm but I don't require it. Immemorial Desolate Grotto-Heaven already innovated an Imperial Essence Formation. Long Hair Ancestor's Refinement Cauldron immortal gu house is certainly appealing, but it seems to be the main target this time around.'
Lo Jik made sure to observe the battle overhead, having already deduced the enemy's main objective using his wisdom path methods. He also took his time identifying every gu immortal participating in this invasion while planning something…
… bold.
Deadly, sure.
But the benefits were more than enough for Lo Jik to face the risks rather fearlessly.
His thoughts stirred and shifted to a different direction as he finally appeared before another storage unit.
Tackling the formation, Lo Jik eagerly observed a great cluster of hibernating mortal gu worms.
Lifespan Gu…
And so much!
Lang Ya Blessed Land's accumulation was simply unreal, allowing it to produce a great number of Lifespan Gu. Lo Jik's own storage of Lifespan Gu surpassed 2000 years, but adding this allowed Lo Jik to control a sum of 9500 years' worth of Lifespan Gu! Moreover, Lang Ya Land Spirit constructed two storage units for Lifespan Gu. Lo Jik simply aimed for the one with the greater number of these mortal gu worms.
'Just this much of wealth can allow me to live comfortable for a considerable period.' Lo Jik smiled before shaking his head. What use was an ant's comfort when dragons roamed the clouds and acted as instrument of whimsical disasters?
All these gu worms were precious materials. With this many gu worms…
'I can finally try using Dream Summoning immortal killer move on Lifespan Gu Worms and investigate the secrets of its strange dao marks.'
Lo Jik exhaled sharply and aimed for the next storage unit filled with theft path immortal materials. Then he stole the little blood path immortal materials Lang Ya Land Spirit saved up over the years.
'Oh, this is… a complete set of refining that immortal gu worm. I see. Lang Ya Blessed Land must have collected several sets but failed to refine that immortal gu worm. I might as well give it a shot.'
Lo Jik stole a complete set of immortal materials and gu worms.
'Is there no portion of Light of Immemorial Era?' Lo Jik furrowed his brows. Long Hair True Inheritance revealed that Long Hair Ancestor did possess such an immortal material, but it might have been already entirely consumed. 'Refining Fixed Immortal Travel without that material will be a great pain in the ass… of course, that's considering my current attainment levels. Becoming a space and refinement path great grandmaster might change things.'
Lo Jik moved quickly and stole a lot of space path immortal materials. These materials could prove useful in modifying and successfully refining Fixed Immortal Travel. He also needed several of these materials to boost the recovery and growth rate of the hibernating Void Anaconda.
But he was far from satisfied.
There were still materials required to help him refine and nurture another avenue of development.
His clones.
'Hairy Man Immortal Gu can be refined using refinement and human path immortal materials, but the requirements for these materials drop greatly if I can just get my hands on a hairy man gu immortal…' Lo Jik's gaze shimmered.
'So many methods… so many options… hurry up.' He cast an expectant glance towards the quiet clouds. He observed the proud Northern Plains' gu immortal in control of nine time path desolate beasts. Of course, what attracted Lo Jik was not the desolate beasts but the strange gu immortal, for from within him emerged a faint scent no different from his and Black Moon's Great Strength True Martial Physique.
Further beyond were a pair of rank 7 gu immortals.
There was that hooded rank 7 gu immortal—another gu immortal with an extreme physique if Lo Jik's human path investigation methods didn't fail him.
Two extreme physiques!
Obtaining them would allow Lo Jik to refine corresponding extreme physique immortal clones!
And lastly, there was that rank 7 gu immortal in a dark martial attire.
'So outstanding…' Lo Jik licked his lips with a great thirst and need, his gaze pinned onto all these impressive individuals. Capturing them dead or alive was secondary. His true motives could be considered even more dangerous.
He truly wanted to exploit them.
He truly wanted to crush their methods under his feet and leave them helpless.
'They will be the best subjects to test how efficient dream path methods are in the current era.'
***
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