64 Advancing to Peak Rank Five – Fang Yuan’s Progress

After acquiring the Starlight Firefly swarm, this round of transactions finally came to an end.

Qi Tian began arranging the planting of Star Fragment Grass and settling the Starlight Fireflies.

"Star Fragment Grass can only grow in the sky, thriving on clouds. Therefore, it is often cultivated using high-quality cloud soil…"

Fairy Yaoguang suggested that Qi Tian purchase cloud soil to cultivate the Star Fragment Grass, but he had no such need.

In the eastern region of the Fox Immortal Blessed Land, a vast expanse of dark clouds existed, as did a similar area in the eastern region of the Night Soul Blessed Land. Both were suitable for planting Star Fragment Grass.

In this way, what seemed like a problem turned into an advantage—not only was the dark cloud utilized effectively, but it also saved Qi Tian the cost of purchasing large quantities of cloud soil.

"Star Fragment Grass prefers shade and avoids excessive sunlight. Too much exposure can scorch it to death. However, it cannot grow in complete darkness either—it requires just the right amount of light…"

The best environment for this was the eastern region of the Night Soul Blessed Land, where sunlight was absent, and only the dim glow from the Nightlight Grass plains and the Ghost Lamp Flower sea provided illumination.

The eastern part of the Fox Immortal Blessed Land was the second-best choice, as it had abundant water vapor, which diffused sunlight even above the dark clouds, creating favorable conditions for the grass.

On the other hand, the western region of the Night Soul Blessed Land had black clouds formed by geothermal activity from lava lakes. These clouds were too hot and would scorch the Star Fragment Grass.

Ultimately, Qi Tian decided to plant the Star Fragment Grass on the eastern dark clouds of the Fox Immortal Blessed Land.

Due to the balance of water and fire energies in the region, the eastern dark clouds had grown denser and more fertile, making them an even better habitat for the Star Fragment Grass than the ones in the Night Soul Blessed Land.

"If Starlight Fireflies live among the Star Fragment Grass, helping to disperse its seeds, the grass will spread faster and grow more vigorously…"

With the Starlight Fireflies in place, the growth of the Star Fragment Grass would be significantly enhanced.

Another method to accelerate its growth was to purchase the mortal-level killer move Spring Star Rain from Myriad Star Immortal Monarch.

The killer move itself cost less than two pieces of immortal essence stones, but each activation required consuming Star Sprout Gu, which cost half a piece of immortal essence stone per use. Qi Tian couldn't afford to use it frequently at the moment.

"It's time to break through to Rank Five!"

After a period of accumulation, Qi Tian had reached the optimal moment to advance to Rank Five.

Inside his aperture, the vast sea of true gold essence surged, golden waves crashing against the crystal membrane of his aperture walls.

Boom!

With a muffled crack, the walls finally collapsed under the tremendous force of the tidal waves. The crystal membrane vanished, replaced by a luminous film.

A newly formed light purple true essence replaced the true gold true essence.

Rank Five – Initial Stage!

But Qi Tian did not stop there.

He retrieved three Purple Crystal Relic Gu—originally five, but two had been tampered with and were unusable.

First one! Second one! Third one!

Rank Five – Mid Stage! Rank Five – Late Stage! Rank Five – Peak!

His true essence evolved further, transforming from light purple into crystal purple true essence.

"Since my rebirth, from Southern Border to Central Continent, from Night Soul Blessed Land to Fox Immortal Blessed Land, I have finally reached the peak of Rank Five."

Qi Tian let out a satisfied sigh.

Peak Rank Five was the pinnacle of the mortal realm.

In his previous life, it had taken him a hundred years to reach this stage. In this life, he had reached it far earlier.

For most Gu Masters, rapidly advancing through Relic Gu made it difficult to control their newfound strength and comprehend the deeper realms of their cultivation.

But Qi Tian was different. His past-life experiences were a priceless treasure, allowing him to perfectly grasp the explosive power of peak Rank Five.

"But this is not my end—it is just the beginning. The next step is to accumulate my foundation and advance to Gu Immortal!"

---

Meanwhile, Fang Yuan in the Poisonous Corpse Grasslands

While Qi Tian managed his blessed land, Fang Yuan had ventured deep into the Poisonous Corpse Grasslands.

With Ge Yao's Homing Gu guiding the way, they avoided many detours.

Utilizing a Rank Three Grass Puppet Gu obtained from the inheritance of the Three Kings in Southern Border, Fang Yuan created nearly a thousand Vine Armor Grass Soldiers, allowing them to pass through the Ghost Face Sunflower Sea with ease.

Afterward, Fang Yuan relied on his masterful flying skills and Ge Yao's assistance to navigate through the domains of Stinger Rats and Shadow Crows.

Finally, he arrived at the battlefield where Chang Shan Yin and Ha Tu Gu had once fought.

Together with Ge Yao, he subdued a Rank Five Gu—White Bone Wheel and retrieved Chang Shan Yin's corpse.

Using Human Skin Gu, he disguised himself as Chang Shan Yin.

At this point, Fang Yuan's goal in the Poisonous Corpse Grasslands was nearly complete.

He also successfully sealed the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu, using a combination of Dust Cover Gu, Luminous Pearl Gu, Dark Transfer Gu, Iron Cabinet Gu, and Earth Treasure King Flower Gu.

He left the immortal Gu hidden in the vast grasslands.

By now, five to six days had passed for Fang Yuan in the Poisonous Corpse Grasslands, while about a month had elapsed inside Fox Immortal Blessed Land.

Holding a Toasting Gu, Fang Yuan fell into deep thought.

He had now acquired Chang Shan Yin's entire Gu collection, and his wolf pack had grown to over two thousand, including four Hundred Beast Wolf Kings, making him a formidable force.

With the foundation for survival secured, Fang Yuan turned his attention to dealing with the Southern Border Gu worms he still carried.

The people of Northern Plains were highly xenophobic. If he traveled with his original face, he would be met with hostility everywhere.

His Southern Border Gu worms were a major flaw that could expose his identity.

As a cautious person, Fang Yuan would never allow such vulnerabilities to exist.

The best way to handle them was to use Toasting Gu to send them to Fox Immortal Blessed Land.

However, he did not fully trust Qi Tian.

Though they were nominally senior and junior brothers, their relationship was more of a mutual benefit partnership.

Just like Fixed Immortal Travel, which Qi Tian had forcefully refined and claimed as his own—Fang Yuan could only accept this reality.

Now that Fixed Immortal Travel had brought him to Northern Plains, Fang Yuan had also considered stealing it back.

However, as a mere mortal, he had no way to protect an Immortal Gu for now. His best option was to seal it here and retrieve it later from the True Yang Building.

Although Qi Tian's will remained inside the Immortal Gu, with his consent, Fang Yuan could temporarily become its master and later seize it through the arrangements in the True Yang Building.

Among his many Gu worms, the most important were Second Aperture Pseudo Gu and Blood Skull Gu.

Other Gu worms were expendable, but Second Aperture Pseudo Gu must not be lost.

In the end, Fang Yuan decided to keep his Second Aperture Pseudo Gu and Blood Skull Gu, while sending all other Southern Border Gu worms to Fox Immortal Blessed Land.

Having made up his mind, Fang Yuan sent back his Golden Dragon Gu and other Southern Border Gu and exchanged letters with Qi Tian.

"Oh? He has already acquired the Passing Heaven Gu and Divine Thought Gu? I wonder what methods he used."

Qi Tian did not conceal his acquisition of these Gu.

"This could work in my favor. If I obtain Star Gate Gu, I can enter the blessed land to refine my soul and also release my wolf pack into the blessed land."

"But if I open this connection, Qi Tian could also enter Northern Plains. Would this interfere with my plans?"

After weighing the pros and cons, Fang Yuan concluded:

"Overall, the benefits outweigh the risks."

He then handed over the Star Gate Gu recipe to Qi Tian, hoping he would refine it.

After communicating with Qi Tian, Fang Yuan turned his attention back to Ge Yao.

She had to die.

She had seen too much—his sealing of the Immortal Gu, his use of Human Skin Gu, and his Toasting Gu.

As long as she was alive, she was a threat.

Just as he looked at her, Ge Yao suddenly stood up and shouted:

"Chang Shan Yin! Be my husband!"

Hearing this, Fang Yuan's resolve to kill her only grew stronger.

Just like he had done with Gu Yue Yin Huang, he made the same decision.

"Girl, I never wanted to kill you. But you stand in the way of my success."

That night, the Northern Plains grew even darker.

The cries of ghosts and wolves echoed through the wind.

A girl longing for love.

A devil pursuing immortality.

Both marched toward their destined fates.