Central Continent, Tian Ti mountain.
At the bottom of Hu Immortal blessed land, on Dang Hun mountain, Bai Ning Bing climbed with great effort, surpassed people after people.
He was breathing raggedly, but still, he used both of his hands and legs, climbing laboriously.
Because there are still three people above him.
Xiao Qi Xing, Ying Sheng Ji, Feng Jin Huang!
But Fang Yuan's silhouette can't be seen even then.
He is still climbing and climbing for nearly three weeks, but the person he sought is not even in his view.
But he didn't know, the entire inheritance competition is reaching its final stage!
...
Outside the Blessed Land, the Gu Immortals Gathered
The Gu Immortals stood watching in silence as the scene unfolded before them.
"This Fang Yuan… he's already near the peak," He Feng Yang murmured, disbelief in his voice. He had been closely observing Fang Yuan's progress, and what he was witnessing now was hard to accept.
A competition that was expected to last a year within the blessed land—or about three months from the outside—was on the verge of ending in less than three weeks, or just three days from the perspective of the outside world.
Inside the crystal ball, Fang Yuan appeared only a few meters from the peak. He was taking a short rest, cultivating quietly, but it was clear to all that once he moved again, he would reach the summit—and claim the inheritance as his own.
He Feng Yang felt a bitterness rise in his chest as he considered the implications.
Initially, all the sects had agreed that whichever disciple inherited the Hu Immortal legacy, their sect would be granted ownership of the blessed land. But now, everything had changed. Fang Yuan's sudden emergence shattered that understanding. No one was thinking of fairness or alliances anymore—what they truly desired was Dang Hun Mountain, the real treasure hidden within.
Now, the plan was simple: once Fang Yuan inherited the legacy and the disciples exited the blessed land, all the gathered Gu Immortals would join forces to forcibly break into the blessed land and seize the mountain for themselves.
The thought left He Feng Yang with a pounding headache.
He didn't want conflict. But for the sake of his sect, he would have no choice but to fight alongside—and against—the very people standing beside him now.
He understood all too well: the smiles they wore were fake. Once the inheritance was claimed and the opportunity arose, the true battle would begin—not just against the land spirit, but among themselves.
"…This is going to be a mess," he muttered under his breath.
He knew full well that breaking into the blessed land wouldn't be as simple as they made it sound. They would have to be wary of the Hu Immortal Will's retaliation—and that wasn't the only concern.
Sigh…
He exhaled heavily.
"Why did claiming an inheritance have to turn into such a disaster…"
...
"Huff…" Fang Yuan exhaled deeply, taking in the fresh mountain air as his gaze shifted inward, toward his aperture.
Within it, the remaining Abomination Gu teetered on the brink of destruction—covered in cracks, just a hair's breadth from shattering.
He had already lost twelve Abomination Gu along the way, and this one was barely hanging on. Only one remained completely intact.
His eyes lifted to the dark sky above the Hu Immortal Blessed Land.
Those Gu Immortals outside… they're probably preparing to force their way in, he thought calmly. But that's not my priority right now.
He turned his focus to the peak, now only a short distance away.
I'll have roughly three hours to carry out my plans. With that resolve, Fang Yuan broke into a sprint.
As his foot touched the edge of the peak, the Abomination Gu in his aperture shattered completely—signaling its death. But Fang Yuan didn't flinch. With a light leap, he landed firmly at the summit, standing face-to-face with the land spirit, who stared at him in awe.
"Little Hu Immortal," Fang Yuan said casually, "aren't you going to call me master now?"
"M-Ma… master…" The little girl, stunned, could barely speak.
"Seal the entire blessed land," he ordered sharply. "No one leaves."
"And deal with the forced intrusion techniques the Gu Immortals are using outside."
With that, he sat calmly on the cliff, as if he had all the time in the world.
The land spirit continued to stare, still frozen with shock.
Fang Yuan snapped, "Well? What are you waiting for?!"
"Y-Yes!" she stammered, finally moving into action.
With a flick of her hand, a shimmering barrier deep within the blessed land cracked and then vanished. The blessed land was now completely sealed.
Fang Yuan gave his next command. "Imprison everyone who came here for the inheritance. Surround them in darkness. I don't want them seeing anything that happens inside."
The little girl nodded quickly. All the disciples climbing Dang Hun Mountain suddenly found themselves trapped within individual cages of light. Then, darkness fell over them, blocking all sight.
"Let's hurry," Fang Yuan said, standing up as he gazed deeper into the blessed land. "I've got a lot of work to do."
With that, he disappeared into the inner depths of the Hu Immortal Blessed Land, leaving the shocked land spirit who is still in awe.
...
Outside the Hu Immortal Blessed Land
A ripple of panic and confusion spread through the group of Gu Immortals as the blessed land suddenly became sealed from their view.
"Wait—what just happened?"
"We can't see anything inside anymore!"
"What about our disciples?"
"Damn it, this isn't good!"
"We have to get them out—now!"
"Hold on," one of the elders said, frowning. "This Fang Yuan… he's meticulous. If he's sealed the land, he's likely using our disciples as leverage. He's probably counting on us not to act rashly."
"That's… plausible. Let's wait and see for now."
"Hmph. A mere mortal not only infiltrated the inheritance right under our noses but even claimed it for himself."
"This is unacceptable. If word of this spreads, our sects will become a laughingstock."
"Ten Extreme Physique or not, he's still just an ant in front of us."
"Exactly. Once we recover our disciples safely—"
"—that'll be the moment of his death."