Wu Ji fled in panic, sweat and blood streaming down her body as a beast resembling a rhinoceros chased after her. Its body was covered in an iron-like carapace, and instead of a single horn, two horns grew from its head.
The beast roared behind her, causing heavy plates of compressed air to fly forth and crash into Wu Ji's back, making her spit out blood. Clenching her teeth, she revealed a domineering, bloodstained smile and activated the Gu worm she had been holding in reserve.
The ground split open beneath Wu Ji. As she fell, the surface immediately sealed shut, and she vanished from the sight of the two-horned beast. The rhinoceros-like monster let out an enraged roar and returned to its territory after its prey escaped.
Underground, Wu Ji barely suppressed her breathing as she treated her severe injuries. She had fallen near this beast's territory and thought she could kill it easily, but due to her ill luck, it turned out to be a mutated beast with battle strength at rank four.
She had been forced to flee while enduring its pursuit for ten whole minutes, falling into several life-and-death situations along the way.
"But I survived in the end… ouch, this hurts a little, but it's fine. This blessed land follows the strength path, which suits me perfectly. The cultivation resources here are extremely abundant. If I become the master of this blessed land, reaching Gu Immortal will be guaranteed!"
Wu Ji was never a trivial character. She had her own goals and ambitions; even this mortal world could not contain her. Only by reaching the realm of a Gu Immortal could she truly fulfill her aspirations.
Now, she was competing against countless geniuses and prodigies. Among these talented individuals, she was nothing particularly special—there were hundreds like her. But there was one person she feared more than anyone else, someone she was unwilling to face.
"Oh Fang Tian… why do you have to stand against me? Is this your path to survival?"
Wu Ji had experienced all kinds of emotions in her life: sorrow, anger, hatred, jealousy, admiration, optimism, hope, and feelings she could not even name. But this time, she was experiencing something familiar—yet something she had not felt in a very long time.
It was the sorrow of losing a friend, and the fear of losing someone dear.
Fang Tian grabbed a Gu Master by the neck and snapped it instantly, tossing the corpse into a field of towering trees that reached toward the sky. These trees were thick and tall, with golden veins bulging across their surfaces like the clenched fists of angels. Their branches stretched out like dozens of fingers, bearing golden fruits speckled with white.
"According to what that Gu Master said, these are Vital Core Fruits, rank five refinement materials… There are hundreds of trees bearing these fruits. It won't be impossible for me to uproot and store them using wood path methods."
Fang Tian had obtained a wood path inheritance from Chen Yue. While this inheritance was not suited to him in terms of combat power or defensive diversity, it focused on other aspects of the wood path—such as managing and nurturing resource points. This included safely relocating trees with their roots intact, enhancing soil fertility, and preserving vitality.
Naturally, Fang Tian possessed Gu worms for spatial storage, allowing him to transport and preserve these trees without letting them wither. But first, he had to harvest the fruits. However, another problem emerged—the fruits were extremely heavy, greatly slowing his progress.
Yet after four days in blessed land time, the magnificent forest of Vital Core Fruit trees was reduced to barren, lifeless land. Fang Tian smiled in satisfaction as he looked at his "achievement." After all, he had made a massive fortune here.
"Elder brother, have you seen any of the younger brothers from our clan?"
Several hundred steps away, a rank three Gu Master transmitted his voice to Fang Tian. Fang Tian immediately pinpointed his location and replied in an innocent tone:
"Brother, are you from the Wu clan? I've been alone this whole time—this blessed land is far too dangerous! Luckily, I found this relatively safe spot."
"That's true, that's true… but elder brother, you look familiar?"
"Ah, I'm Fang Tian, a member of Elder Chen Yue's faction."
The Gu Master frowned. If he remembered correctly, Elder Chen Yue was a venomous snake who cared only for benefits—was this 'elder brother' any different from her? Still, he had already been deceived by Fang Tian and spoke with what little caution he had left.
"Elder brother Fang Tian, I've heard of Elder Chen Yue before. I respect her greatly as a rank four elder of our clan… so, would you like to join forces for survival?"
Fang Tian sneered inwardly. This young man's fate had already been sealed the moment Fang Tian decided to win this inheritance.
"Yes, of course. We're brothers of the same clan—of course we should unite. Only clansmen can be relied upon, hahaha."
Fang Tian laughed heartily, causing the young Gu Master to emerge from his hiding place. He had a dark yellow complexion, thick hands, and light stubble on his chin, giving him the appearance of a scholar. His shoulders were uneven beneath his robe, giving him an awkward, unbalanced look.
"Little brother, since we'll be working together, what should I call you?"
"My name is Wu Dan Shi, son of Elder Shi… my father is the exchange board elder."
Wu Dan Shi looked down in embarrassment as he mentioned his father. This behavior left Fang Tian with the impression that this youth was foolish, timid, and useless. Though they were roughly the same age, the difference in their demeanor was immense.
Fang Tian appeared cold, solid, and crafty, while this young man carried a scholarly air—yet inwardly, he was foolish, shy, and utterly useless.
"Well, he'll do. It's not like I expect much from him anyway."
Fang Tian already had a good use planned for this pawn—before discarding him.