Chapter 1703: Avoiding The Limelight Temporarily Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios White clouds moved beside him, winds howled by his ears, Fang Yuan flew rapidly in the sky. A trace of blood was still at the corner of his lips, in the intense battle against rank eights earlier, he did not leave unscathed. Especially at the end, after his plot succeeded in killing Zhou Xiong Xin, the remaining three rank eights decided to escape, they cooperated and broke Fang Yuan’s formation. This formation was not made by Fang Yuan, Shadow Sect had created it long ago using the natural dao marks of the area, it was a natural super formation. This super immortal formation had great power, it was similar to the one that Fang Yuan used to capture Xia Cha and the rest. This immortal formation was usually concealed without any exposed traces, Shadow Sect created it so that the organization Defy could have a base camp when the time was ripe. Central Continent’s ten great ancient sects occupied their own territory, they had the most resources. The righteous path, lone immortals, and demonic immortals were all desperately trying to survive between the cracks of these ten great ancient sects. But the sect system was different from the clan system, they only focused on talents. Many cultivation geniuses did not lack talent, they lacked cultivation resources, it was the cause of their stagnation. As time passed, these people naturally developed lots of conflict with the Central Continent ten great ancient sects. Shadow Sect thought of this and secretly gathered the Gu Immortals who were unhappy with the ten great ancient sects, creating a loose organization that was very secretive, known as Defy. Defy was similar to Zombie Alliance, it was a branch of Shadow Sect. This was similar to the ten great ancient sects and Heavenly Court. Shadow Sect had placed some hope in Defy, but unfortunately, it was not Fairy Zi Wei’s match even though it tried to hide. Right now, Defy was no more, Fairy Zi Wei held great credit in completely eradicating it. Since Fang Yuan showed up and destroyed the competition locations of the Central Continent Refinement Path Convention, he had also thought about possible Heavenly Court pursuers. This super formation was his trump card. When he realized something amiss, he escaped to this location without going anywhere else. Zhou Xiong Xin used rumor cage killer move and trapped Fang Yuan, feeling overjoyed, but he did not think that this was Fang Yuan’s ambush from the very beginning. The super immortal formation did not let down Fang Yuan’s expectations, when he used it, he immediately broke rumor cage’s connection with the outside world, before completely crushing this immortal battlefield. Next, the immortal formation even stopped three rank eights for a breath of time, so that Fang Yuan had the crucial time to kill Zhou Xiong Xin. Finally, using the immortal formation, Fang Yuan fought against the remaining three rank eights, but the immortal formation had already expended itself, this kind of immortal formation created using natural dao marks had a weakness as well, the environment could be destroyed. The three Central Continent rank eights knew this and managed to destroy the immortal formation. The immortal formation was destroyed, Fang Yuan also suffered a backlash like Zhou Xiong Xin. Immortal killer moves were like this, the stronger they were, the greater the backlash when they got broken, they were simply double-edged swords. But Fang Yuan was mentally prepared, he was not caught unguarded like Zhou Xiong Xin. The three Central Continent rank eights did not use this chance, they were bent on retreating. Fang Yuan did not have an immortal battlefield or an immortal formation to obstruct them, they were able to escape. He had peak rank eight battle strength, he could defeat these three people, but killing them was too hard. Unless he could trap them or make use of a rare opportunity like how he killed Zhou Xiong Xin. 1Normally, Fang Yuan relied on Luo Po seal, spring scissors, winter coat, five finger fist heart sword, and other methods to maintain his upper-tier rank eight battle strength. He worked hard to raise these many Immortal Gu, it was not for fun. But when he became the immemorial year monkey, his battle strength would rise to peak rank eight. The difference was because of his dao marks! In the contest for the Red Lotus true inheritance, Fang Yuan neither won nor lost. In the Dragon Palace contest, Fang Yuan lost. But afterwards, heaven form did not disappoint, it finally found the hidden location of the crucial Immortal Gu inside Beast Calamity grotto-heaven. Fang Yuan had also used the dream realm to raise his transformation path attainment level during this period. He first used familiar face to disguise himself before entering the grotto-heaven and using his theft path methods to steal all of the Immortal Gu inside. Even though that Beast Calamity heavenly spirit was clear-minded, how could it compare to the crafty Fang Yuan? At this point, Fang Yuan no longer had any concerns, he changed his identity again and inherited the Beast Calamity true inheritance. The pitiful Beast Calamity heavenly spirit was completely deceived, even when Beast Calamity grotto-heaven got annexed, it did not discover Fang Yuan’s true identity. This Beast Calamity grotto-heaven was a crucial turning point. Normally speaking, an earthly calamity gave a Gu Immortal two hundred and fifty dao marks, heavenly tribulation was seven hundred and fifty, grand tribulation was seven thousand two hundred and fifty, while myriad tribulations were even higher, at eighty-six thousand seven hundred and fifty. These were just the average numbers, some calamities and tribulations were more ferocious and Gu Immortals would gain more dao marks for passing them. Rank seven Gu Immortals faced an earthly calamity every ten years, while rank eight Gu Immortals faced a heavenly tribulation every ten years. Rank seven Gu Immortals faced a heavenly tribulation every fifty years, while rank eight Gu Immortals faced a grand tribulation every fifty years. Rank seven Gu Immortals faced a grand tribulation every hundred years, while rank eight Gu Immortals faced a myriad tribulation every hundred years. One myriad tribulation gave eighty thousand dao marks, it was more than ten times of a grand tribulation, this was also the reason why rank eight Gu Immortals often suppressed rank seven, the difference in their dao marks was just too high. Fang Yuan annexed Beast Calamity grotto-heaven, which had already passed one myriad tribulation. Even though the grotto-heaven’s original owner, Beast Calamity Immortal died after the first myriad tribulation, the Beast Calamity grotto-heaven that he left behind passed many calamities and tribulations afterwards, it was not far from its second myriad tribulation. That was to say, forget about all the other dao marks in Beast Calamity grotto-heaven, just in terms of transformation path dao marks alone, it had more than a hundred thousand! And Fang Yuan himself already had nearly a hundred thousand transformation path dao marks! He originally had fifty thousand, but he killed many Heavenly Court rank seven experts in the River of Time, he annexed a lot of blessed lands and gained a lot of dao marks from various paths. Thus, after annexing Beast Calamity grotto-heaven, his transformation path dao marks reached two hundred thousand! This number was terrifying. Rank eight Gu Immortals who cultivate transformation path would need to pass two myriad tribulations in order to obtain so many transformation path dao marks. Bo Qing was a rank eight Gu Immortal who had passed two myriad tribulations, Duke Long was too. When Fang Yuan transforms into the immemorial year monkey, these transformation path dao marks would turn into time path dao marks. Don’t forget, after annexing Xia Cha’s grotto-heaven, Fang Yuan had seventy thousand time path dao marks. In the River of Time, he killed the three Xunzi and annexed their immortal apertures, his time path dao marks surpassed a hundred thousand. Two hundred thousand added with a hundred thousand, after becoming an immemorial year monkey, Fang Yuan would have a total of three hundred thousand time path dao marks! What did that imply? If a rank eight Gu Immortal cultivated time path without any special fortuitous encounters, they would need to pass a third myriad tribulation. But after passing a myriad tribulation, they would be a rank nine venerable. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞 Of course, rank nine Gu Venerables would definitely have more than three hundred thousand dao marks, this was just a starting point. Even so, in terms of time path dao marks, Fang Yuan had reached pseudo-Immortal Venerable level. Along with his rank eight time path Immortal Gu and many useful rank eight time path killer moves, his battle strength was to the extent of peak rank eight. Earlier, when Fang Yuan fought against Li Huang, he used Luo Po seal and could not break through Luo Po seal’s verdant sun flame cloak. But now, Fang Yuan became the immemorial year monkey, he was looking forward to the clash between spring scissors and verdant sun flame cloak! “But against Duke Long, it will still be difficult.” Fang Yuan’s gaze was deep. There were many things that influenced battle strength, dao marks were one aspect, Immortal Gu were also another aspect, the immortal aperture’s foundation was another, and number of methods was also one. Fang Yuan did not lack dao marks. He had three time path Immortal Gu, it was just passable. But in terms of killer moves, he was too weak, even though he modified spring scissors killer move multiple times and raised its strength, the core was unchanged. He only had these few moves. As for Duke Long, Fang Yuan had witnessed his fight against Purple Mountain True Monarch, be it transformation path or qi path dao marks, he had at least three hundred thousand dao marks. 1Duke Long also had more than three rank eight Immortal Gu for sure. Duke Long’s immortal killer moves were numerous and profound, especially moves like triple qi retraction, it was a divine technique that could not be guarded against. Because of all these elements, Duke Long had pseudo-Immortal Venerable battle strength! Pseudo-Immortal Venerable had the word ‘venerable’ in it, it was not easy to achieve. Precisely so, Duke Long was able to obtain Immortal Gu House Dragon Palace in front of all the Eastern Sea Gu Immortals, this showed how powerful he was. Even though he got injured in the process. Pseudo-Immortal Venerable was still not an Immortal Venerable, the difference between the two was night and day. Fang Yuan did not lack confidence, he was filled with confidence in himself, but this was built upon his self-awareness! He knew very clearly how strong he really was. Thus, Fang Yuan was wary of Duke Long simply because his battle strength was not on par with the latter! “This human path people’s accusation killer move is getting stronger. Even though I have little understanding of human path, I can see that the situation is getting worse.” Fang Yuan frowned lightly. He had deep wisdom path attainment that even Fairy Zi Wei did not dare to underestimate. The emotions of wisdom path Gu Immortals were usually not without reason, they were mostly premonition. “I cannot resolve people’s accusation using emperor yama. The more times I show up in Central Continent and the longer I stay, the stronger this people’s accusation killer move becomes.” “But now, the real fight has not started yet, even though many incidents have occurred in Central Continent, they are just small scuffles.” Thinking of this, Fang Yuan made up his mind: “Raising a troop just for a single battle, it is time to let them out!” In the battle against Zhou Xiong Xin earlier, Fang Yuan waited patiently but did not get to meet Duke Long. Now that the super immortal formation was destroyed, Fang Yuan had no confidence of facing Duke Long alone. To be honest, Duke Long’s refusal to show up was giving Fang Yuan immense pressure and threat, he had to conceal his traces and reduce the risks involved. “Next, I will let Bai Ning Bing and the rest cause havoc everywhere. I should try and lay low now, this great battle has just begun!” Fang Yuan’s eyes shined with a cold light. TL Note: This chapter is speculation from Fang Yuan’s point of view and understanding, not necessarily established facts.