...

Fang Yuan finally opened the lightning symbol paper crane Gu.

"He Feng Yang from Immortal Crane Sect is a smart person," Fang Yuan thought aloud. "If it were anyone else, he might have succeeded in his schemes."

He chuckled coldly. "He even wants me to join the Immortal Crane Sect? Bold, but predictable."

"I still need his sect's cover for now, so I'll play along for a while. Make a few transactions, give them some hope. But the real problem... is my blood brother, Fang Zheng."

Fang Yuan's gaze darkened as he pondered the dilemma. "I only have two choices when it comes to him. First, I could kill him outright," he considered. "But that could backfire... Fang Zheng isn't just a member of Immortal Crane Sect. He's a weapon crafted by the Heaven's Will itself, specifically against me."

He sighed and weighed the second option. "Or I could follow the original plot and refine the Blood Deity Immortal Gu. turning him into a 'Blood Deity.'"

The Blood Deity Immortal Gu was designed to transform blood relatives into loyal beings called Blood Deities, but the process severed previous connections. it's a powerful Gu but The blood relatives original thoughts and emotions would still influence the newly created Blood Deity.

"Even if there was no problem," Fang Yuan mused, "Then by the time I can refine the Blood Deity, I'll likely have mastered the method of creating clones. I won't need this Gu anymore. Besides, it's only a Rank 6 Gu—hardly worth the effort."

For a while, he fell into deep thought, his mind racing through possible outcomes and strategies.

...

Meanwhile, at Tian Ti Mountain...

The towering Tian Ti Mountain stood high above the clouds. At its foot, the elite disciples of Immortal Crane Sect had been waiting for hours, growing restless.

"How much longer are we supposed to wait?" one disciple grumbled.

"This Fang Yuan is really putting on airs, isn't he?"

"Quiet!" another hissed. "He's the brother of Gu Yue Fang Zheng, the owner of Hu Immortal Blessed Land!"

"I've heard that brother of Fang Zheng's is incredible. He defeated Feng Jin Huang, Xiao Qi Xing, Ying Sheng Ji, and others."

"So what?" another disciple sneered. "With a supreme elder helping him in secret, using the Fixed Immortal Travel Gu, even I could've won the blessed land."

"Our clan's elders are wise," another chimed in. "Using Fang Zheng as a decoy while Fang Yuan was the real trump card all along."

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Their conversations did not escape Fang Zheng's ears. Standing at the front of the group, his gaze was fixed on the peak of Tian Ti Mountain, his expression dim.

In these recent days, Fang Zheng felt like a walking corpse, unable to shake off the weight of his failure.

After leaving Qing Mao Mountain, he had sworn revenge on his brother Fang Yuan, vowing to bring justice for their deceased clansmen. That burning hatred had been the force driving him to cultivate harder than anyone else, never allowing himself to slack for even a second.

Countless times, Fang Zheng had fantasized about the day he would face Fang Yuan, defeating him, making him kneel and repent for his crimes on Qing Mao Mountain. He had imagined the satisfaction of avenging his fallen clansmen.

Even on Dang Hun Mountain, despite moments of near-collapse, his hatred for Fang Yuan had kept him going. It had pushed him to continue climbing, no matter how grueling the journey.

He had wanted the Hu Immortal Inheritance—not just for his master or the clan's expectations, but because it would give him the strength to exact his revenge.

But fate had dealt him a cruel blow.

The day Fang Yuan appeared atop the mountain, seizing the inheritance in full view of the entire sect, even the Gu Immortals had been powerless to stop him.

Fang Zheng had failed, returning to the sect empty-handed.

Shock. Pain. Loss. Fear.

The truth hit him like a landslide, and it only worsened the shadow in his heart—a shadow that had been growing ever since his childhood.

"Why is my brother so smart? Why am I always so foolish?"

"Why is it that despite all my efforts, I still lost to Fang Yuan?"

"Is it true that I, Gu Yue Fang Zheng, am destined to live in his shadow forever, never surpassing him?"

His thoughts darkened, and a cold shudder ran through his body when he remembered the mission given to him by the sect.

The blessed land was now in Fang Yuan's control. To secure the Hu Immortal Blessed Land, the sect was negotiating with Fang Yuan, even offering him a position as an elder if he agreed to hand it over.

Within the sect, disciples were ranked from low to high: outer disciple, inner disciple, elite disciple, legacy disciple. Above them were sect elders, typically at Rank 4, and above them, the supreme elders—powerful Gu Immortals.

Since joining Immortal Crane Sect, Fang Zheng had worked tirelessly, climbing from outer disciple to elite disciple. He had emerged as the top disciple during the last examination. Yet now, with just a single word from Fang Yuan, his brother would become a sect elder, commanding respect from every disciple.

Every time Fang Zheng thought about it, a sharp pain pierced his heart.

If Fang Yuan truly became an elder, Fang Zheng would have to bow to him—his sworn enemy—every time they crossed paths. What kind of life would that be? How could he find any meaning in it?

Lord Sky Crane, watching from within Fang Zheng, felt a deep sadness for his disciple. He knew all too well the weight of the sect's decision.

He recalled the words of He Feng Yang:

"I know there's enmity between Fang Yuan and Fang Zheng. If necessary, we can sacrifice Fang Zheng to negotiate. You may represent him."

The elders had cast Fang Zheng aside without a second thought.

...

Back at the Blessed Land...

Fang Yuan sat deep in thought, recalling the scene where He Feng Yang had discarded Fang Zheng in the original timeline. He knew He Feng Yang would do the same this time.

"So the real question is... what will Heaven's Will do?"

The Hu Immortal Blessed Land was now placed on Tian Ti Mountain, the number one mountain in Central Continent, a sacred land known for inheritances and its connection to the Heavenly Court. No Gu Immortal dared to attack it recklessly—the Heavenly Court, or more precisely Star Constellation's Will, protected it as part of Heaven's Will.

Fang Yuan's eyes grew deep with thought, strategizing his next move.

Suddenly, he smiled, an excited gleam in his eyes.

"Land spirit," he called. "Go, open the blessed land slightly... and let the Gu Master who looks like me enter."