— — — — — — —
A day later
Fang Yuan crushed the final Gutstone in his hand, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
At this moment, he felt an immense sense of comfort—his soul had strengthened threefold! Power surged through him, not just physically but on a deeper, almost spiritual level.
His thoughts flowed faster, problems became easier to analyze, and multitasking felt effortless.
"Unfortunately, there were only a little over a hundred Gutstones on Dang Hun Mountain, and not all of them contained Guts Gu," Fang Yuan muttered, a hint of regret in his voice.
When Hu Immortal first acquired Dang Hun Mountain, it had already changed hands multiple times and was nearly depleted. She had moved it to the blessed land and managed it for decades, sacrificing large numbers of foxes each year to generate new Gutstones.
But most of these were consumed by her over time. After her death, the remaining Gutstones had accumulated for eight years—until Fang Yuan used them all up.
According to the Little Hu Land Spirit, nearly ten thousand foxes were required to produce a single Gutstone. The stronger the sacrificed beast kings, the greater the yield.
"Now that my soul problem is settled, it's time to plan my next move," Fang Yuan said calmly.
"First, I need to deal with the Blue Charm Lightning Shadow. It's a hidden threat I can't afford to ignore. But as I am now, I don't have the strength to destroy it outright."
"Handling it early will save me a lot of trouble in the future and let me focus on more important matters."
He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. "I need a solid plan to deal with the Blue Charm Lightning Shadow. And by solid plan, I mean—"
"A.I Chip, simulate the optimal strategy to deal with the Blue Charm Lightning Shadow."
Beep!
— — —
One Month Later
Over the past month, Fang Yuan had been tirelessly preparing.
He created new killer moves and modified what was stored in the Chip's memories, refining them to suit his current needs. As a result, his strength increased significantly.
At the same time, he absorbed even more of the stored memories, gaining valuable experience in combat, Gu refinement, and other crucial skills. Each piece of knowledge sharpened his instincts, making him even more formidable.
Now, he was ready to handle the threats within the blessed land.
"There must be plenty of people waiting outside, hoping to take advantage of my situation or send messages," Fang Yuan thought.
"It's time to act."
"Little Hu, transfer me to the east area and follow the instructions we agreed on."
"Y-yes, Master. Please be careful," Little Hu replied, her big eyes red and teary, filled with worry.
A moment later, Fang Yuan appeared in the eastern region of the blessed land. The area was in ruins—scarred by the second earthly calamity, dark flames still flickering across the land.
Without hesitation, he deployed the killer moves he had prepared. A protective barrier shielded him from the flames while another move made his presence unmistakable, like a bright lamp in the darkness.
And then, he just waited.
...
Boom!
A fierce lightning bolt suddenly struck the area where Fang Yuan stood right now.
A fierce bolt of lightning suddenly struck the area where Fang Yuan stood.
The lightning twisted and morphed mid-air, gradually taking on a humanoid form.
A deafening roar echoed across the land, announcing the arrival of the Blue Charm Lightning Shadow itself!
— — —
Inside Dang Hun Palace
Fang Yuan's face went ashen as he watched his previous location be obliterated.
If not for the land spirit's instant teleportation, he might have died.
Little Hu Immortal, still trembling, patted her chest in relief, her face pale from fear.
The Blue Charm Lightning Shadow, enraged by its failed attack, turned its attention outward, attempting to leave the east area.
"Little Hu, cut off the surrounding land. Separate the Blue Charm Lightning Shadow and the meteor fire from the rest of the blessed land," Fang Yuan ordered.
Reacting instantly, Little Hu severed 500 square kilometers of the blessed land, separating the Blue Charm Lightning Shadow.
"Success!" Fang Yuan exclaimed.
"W-why did we have to sacrifice so much?" Little Hu sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "The blessed land is smaller now… So much immortal essence was lost…."
For a land spirit, the blessed land was like its own body. Abandoning such a massive portion was akin to cutting off a limb.
Now, the blessed land had shrunk to just 3,500 km²—a devastating loss.
"Don't cry. As I told you before, this was the only way to eliminate the threat," Fang Yuan said firmly. "If we hadn't done this, the entire blessed land could have been destroyed."
"And in the future, I'll give you more than what you've lost."
"Ummm..."
Little Hu sniffled, wiping away her tears. "What should we do now, Master?"
Fang Yuan remained silent for a moment.
In his mind, he seethed, "I was nearly dead! Damn it, I need more power—more Gu—until I become invincible!" He clenched his fists, frustration swelling in his chest. Despite all his progress, real dangers still loomed over him.
The Shadow Sect, Heaven's Will, the Heavenly Court, and countless others kept flashing danger signals in his thoughts. He wasn't strong enough yet—right now, he risked being seen as nothing more than a tool for anyone who wanted to use him.
"Then keep growing. Keep becoming stronger, stronger, and even stronger!" he urged himself.
"Hmph! I'll take it step by step. I already know how the future will unfold—I'm the true hidden force here, not them," he thought with a determined glint in his eyes.
"Now, I need to carefully consider every move I make."
...
Taking a deep breath, Fang Yuan calmed himself. "I need some rest. Little Hu, manage the blessed land and ensure no one enters."
"Understood, Master. I won't let anything happen," Little Hu replied, her voice steadying as she pushed past her sorrow.
Fang Yuan nodded and stepped away.
His journey was far from over, but there was only one way forward—until he became the Ultimate Victor of the Gu World.
.
.
.