mynovelonline Chapter 452 - 452: Fang Yuan Is Simply Too Shameless: Part Two
Chapter 452 - 452: Fang Yuan Is Simply Too Shameless: Part Two
"Bai Ning Bing," Fang Yuan said, turning to her, "it is time we discuss our future cooperation."She frowned. Only now did she fully grasp the gap between mortal and Immortal. It was not a gap - it was a massive chasm.
Fang Yuan had superseded her in cultivation for some time. But she had thought that perhaps that was just a fluke; a flare that would soon be doused and give the opportunity to catch up. She had once believed she could surpass Fang Yuan and leave him in the dust instead after she had retrieved the Yang Rotation Gu.
Now, that belief seemed almost laughable. Fang Yuan seemed to have ascended to heaven in a single leap - accomplishing every demonic Gu Master's dream. She, despite standing heads and shoulders above her peers, seemed like nothing but a flea on a tiger's back. It wasn't just the fact that Fang Yuan had become an Immortal so fast; it was also the knowledge that without an Immortal Gu for herself, she would be unable to get past that hurdle.
What seemed like a difficult task now was an impossibility. Fang Yuan was not unaware of the effect that his achievements would have on Bai Ning Bing's psyche. Even without having to use any Emotion Path killer moves, he could scramble her mind as easily as he would a batch of eggs.
Still, she refused to submit despite Fang Yuan's overwhelming superiority. "Fang Yuan," she said, "you've already escaped from the effect of the Poison Vow Gu, haven't you?"
"Of course," Fang Yuan replied. "How could a Rank 3 Gu restrain a Rank 6 Gu Immortal?"
"Then remove its effect from me."
Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow. "And why would I do that?"
"Because it is only fair," Bai Ning Bing said.
Fang Yuan chuckled. "There are many things in this world that aren't 'fair'... such as the fact that there is only one Yang Rotation Gu that can fix you hehehe..."
"Have you no shame?" she snapped. "Bullying the weak? I'm only Rank 4 - you're an Immortal. Isn't it beneath the dignity of an Immortal to torment mortals?"
Fang Yuan did not hesitate in replying. "Of course I bully the weak. Why would I provoke those stronger than me? Do you think I'm a fool?"
Bai Ning Bing clenched her teeth. "Relax," Fang Yuan continued. "The Poison Vow Gu benefits you. Without it, I would need far stricter methods to control you."
"I would rather self-detonate than be your slave," she said coldly.
Fang Yuan chuckled. "And if I used a Rank 5 Enslavement Gu on you instead? What would remain of you then?"
Silence followed.
"But don't worry," Fang Yuan said. "We can reach a mutually beneficial arrangement. You still want the Yang Rotation Gu. And you need a way to control the Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique. I can tell with your increased cultivation that it must be exerting quite the pressure on your aperture even now. As an Immortal, I have many methods of keeping it in check."
This was true. Before he had only been relying on Equality Gu which was only an indirect way of suppressing the Northern Dark Ice Soul Physique. Now, with his current foundation - and his Human Path capabilities - handling such a physique was borderline trivial.
"If you cooperate, I can help you," Fang Yuan said. He paused slightly. "I also have use for you."
Bai Ning Bing's expression darkened, but she said nothing.
Fang Yuan did indeed have many uses for Bai Ning Bing. He was extremely greedy by nature - his desire for wealth was tantamount to a bottomless well that could never be satiated. He wanted the two inheritances that belonged to the Blood Sea Ancestor. He just didn't want to fall into the trap that had likely been set up for him. And Bai Ning Bing and Fang Zheng, once they finished accomplishing their primary objectives for him would be excellent guinea pigs.
"For now, let us return to Shang Clan City," Fang Yuan continued. "Continue cultivating. I will help deal with your aperture. When you reach Rank 5, we will discuss matters further."
Though suspicious, Bai Ning Bing did not refuse. More than anything, she wanted distance from him. She knew she was not Fang Yuan's match out here in the open, but in Shang Clan City, home to many of the Shang clan's Supreme Elders, she liked to imagine that he might be restrained. Not that the Shang Clan Supreme Elders would care if he attacked her, only that the methods he would use would be more restricted while in the city.
Fang Yuan smiled inwardly. 'Finally... the time has come...' This was not at something Bai Ning Bing had said, but rather because of a message he had just gotten.
Through Yellow Treasure Heaven, Shang Qing Qing had informed him that a meeting of the Shang Clan Supreme Elders would soon take place. Even as an outsider, he had been invited to this one.
"Let us depart," he said to Bai Ning Bing, while thinking of the Western Desert.
***
The Shadow Sovereign Grotto-Heaven was controlled by the Shang clan. In the distant past, one of their supreme elders had passed away, leaving this inheritance behind for the clan. As a super force, the Shang clan possessed multiple large blessed lands and grotto-heavens which were stitched together into one that they used; however, this was one of the few ones that had remained isolated from the collection of public blessed lands that had been merged together.
The Shadow Sovereign Grotto-Heaven, was kept separate due to its unique environment. It had once belonged to a dark path cultivator and was saturated with dark path dao marks, which continued to increase with each Myriad Tribulation it endured.
Most Blessed Lands lacked a proper day-and-night cycle, subjecting inhabitants to perpetual daylight in most cases. Certain types, such as Star Path and Dark Path blessed lands, existed in eternal night instead as that kind of environment was more suited to them.
Only upon advancing into grotto-heavens did they typically develop a true cycle of day and night.
The Shadow Sovereign Grotto-Heaven was quite different. Designed specifically for Dark Path cultivation, it remained in darkness for sixteen out of every twenty-four hours. When daylight did appear, it was faint - more akin to twilight - and vanished quickly. Beneath the surface lay an extensive network of caverns where sunlight never reached, making them ideal for breeding dark path beasts and cultivating rare refinement materials.
Because of this unique environment it was not possible to fuse it with the other Blessed Lands and Grotto-Heavens owned by the Shang Clan. Its environment would hamper the growth of the other areas and vice-versa hence why it was kept separate.
The Shang Clan held their regular quarterly meetings here - at least, the ones open to external elders and affiliated cultivators. The clan was well known for recruiting individuals from outside their own bloodline. Of course, they also conducted internal meetings within their own public amalgamation mentioned earlier, restricted only to their innermost members.
Fang Yuan had managed to earn himself a seat at the table through Shang Qing Qing. While not an extraordinary privilege in its own right; it was still an opportunity many lone cultivators would have sacrificed dearly for.
Fang Yuan's will entered the Shadow Sovereign Grotto-Heaven. It was still nighttime, with numerous stars sparkling above the quiet land below. The land spirit, a giant bat, flitted by him. Once Fang Yuan's will showed the land spirit the token that he had been given by the Shang Clan, he was led to where the conference was being held.
In the skies above there was a massive castle carved entirely out of Ouroboros Onyx, a Rank 6 Dark Path refinement material. This rock had a gleam to it that seemed darker than the ordinary night; if one were to keep it outside in daylight it looked like it was swallowing the light all around it. Within the castle there were numerous lights set up. The people attending, naturally, did not want to sit around in the doom and gloom all the time even if that was the preferred environment for this Grotto-Heaven.
Most of the attendees were not physically present; aside from the elder overseeing the Grotto-Heaven and a handful of others, the majority had sent only their wills. These quarterly meetings were largely ceremonial - rarely did matters of true importance arise. Typically, they involved reviewing resource allocations, assigning missions, and maintaining appearances. For this reason, people from the Shang Clan would absolutely be present.