The 4 Venerables stood opposed from Red Lotus, neither side was willing to make the first move.
"Red Lotus." Star Constellation shook her head: "If the 4 of us used our strongest attack do you think anything here will survive."
Star Constellation wanted to intimidate Red Lotus into giving more information about his plans.
But instead, he calmly stared at her: "Try it."
Red Lotus held Time Gu in his hands, which resembled an hourglass filled with water trickling down, instead of sand, the water in it looked cosmic and looked as if the galaxy was flowing within.
Time Gu was constantly in a state of rotation, causing the water within to continuously flow, "Go ahead I assure you at least 1 of you will fall."
"Red Lotus don't be unreasonable," Giant Sun did not want to get involved, seeing Red Lotus threaten even the other 2 Heavenly Court Immortal Kings gave him some assurance: "It seems they are not on the same side, though, it could all be an act. The moment we all attack he may take either me or Fang Yuan down with him."
Giant Sun was hoping that Red Lotus was an independent party and would not side with Heavenly Court.
Given that Heavenly Court already possesses 2 Venerables, with a potential return from Primordial Origin, having a 3rd or even 4th Venerable would make them unstoppable!
The unique bond and selflessness that exists within Heavenly Court are unmatchable anywhere else in the world!
As long as it was for Humanity Heavenly Court would lay its own life down for the cause.
This attitude is what sets Heavenly Court apart from every other Righteous Path force in the world, they were the least hypocritical faction in the world.
They never claimed to be some arbiter of justice only protectors of humanity, and for 3 million years they upheld that belief and attitude.
With or without Venerables, the members of Heavenly Court stood strong no matter the era, century or millennia that passed.
This earned them the respect of all Humans, even Fang Yuan held great respect for them, but times have changed.
With Humanity as the dominant force, the only enemy remaining was Death and other Humans.
The hearts of Humanity had shifted, the selfishness and greed within had burst forth, every living being now held the ability to take charge of their own Fates and steer their own Destiny.
With the Strong especially keen, now there were no limits to their growth it all hinged on one's ability, willingness and, Luck.
"Red Lotus what is your goal?" Giant Sun asked.
Red Lotus closed his eyes, he was watching the present, all life in the Gu World chasing after their dreams, unshackled by Fate: "To keep the world Free."
Red Lotus's eyes opened, and he stared at Fang Yuan.
At that moment, tribulation cloud began to descend above the Venerables,
"Hmm? Someone is undergoing Immortal Ascension?" Giant Sun was the first to notice.
"Oh? It's a Metal Path tribulation,"
The 4 Venerables turned to Red Lotus.
"Hmph, I'm warning you all; leave!"
The Venerables were now in a very tense spot, no one dared make the first move.
"Keke, Red Lotus since this ascension seems related to you then allow me to show my goodwill,"
Fang Yuan began to activate a Heaven Path Killer Move in front of all the Venerables present:
"What's he doing?"
"Should we stop him?"
Star Constellation's thoughts were colliding rapidly as she tried to deduce the effects of this Killer Move: "I can't see through it!"
Red Lotus also had no luck in trying to gaze past Fang Yuan's Killer Move but he knew it couldn't be good: "Fang Yuan!"
"Hahaha, Red Lotus, this person's tribulation seems important to you I wonder who it could be…" Fang Yuan completed the move and instantly the Tribulation dispersed.
"You!" Red Lotus was worried that Fang Yuan had managed to stop the tribulation, he quickly checked the secret chamber of none other than Mo Li!
Red Lotus took a quick scan and was puzzled: "Rank 6? He succeeded? Did the move fail?"
Meanwhile, in the Secret Chamber:
"Hmm? I succeeded?" Mo Li stood up: "Strange. There was no tribulation after I balanced the 3 Qis?"
"Must be thanks to Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable," Peng Da said: "So what was Heaven's answer to who killed your family?"
"I don't know, I don't think I got to ask my question?"
"Huh?"
"It's true why would I hide it from you." Mo Li shrugged: "It might have something to do with no receiving a tribulation."
Peng Da thought about it: "It's possible…anyway it's not important we can figure it out as we grow for now let's pick up the Immortal Gu."
Mo Li walked up to the Stone Pillar and glanced at the 3 Gu, each of them looked rather unremarkable.
They were all green squares with gold lines spreading from a central indent on the square as if something was supposed to go in.
Mo Li scanned through the 3 Gu and was unable to spot even a semblance of difference, he turned to Peng Da: "So which is it?"
Peng Da took his time analyzing each Gu, studying them and comparing them to Mo Li's findings.
He pointed to the middle one: "This one!"
"Are you sure?"
"Hmph, I'm positive!"
Mo Li was slightly hesitant, after all, if he got it wrong, they would obtain no Immortal Gu!
"Trust me, I want this Gu just as much as you, according to Thieving Demon Venerable this Gu is a complete game-changer for us!"
Mo Li took a deep breath and picked up the Gu in the middle!
The other 2 Gu's began to shine brightly before fading away.
"We did it!" Mo Li rejoiced: "This is a true Rank 6 Immortal Gu! Never in my life would I dare imagine I would hold one."
He inspected the front and back of the Gu: "So what does it do?"
Pend Da smirked: "Hehe, put your finger in the centre indent and see for yourself!"
As soon as Mo Li's finger touched the dent, the Immortal Gu instantly shifted into this weird liquid-like fluid that covered his finger and was quickly spreading:
"Argh!" Mo Li began to cry in pain: "What's happening!"
"Hehe, that Immortal Gu is called Otherworldly Artificial Adaptive Suit Gu! It is the pinnacle of Gu world and Otherworldly knowledge! In fact, Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable, stole some Otherworldly Steel Path Dao Marks to make it!" Peng Da puffed his chest in pride:
"It will replace your body, mind and soul with a complete state of the art body that is resistant to pain, poison and injuries! Right now, it's transforming the outer layer of Human Path Dao Marks that makes up your skin into Metal Path ones!"
"ARGGGH," Mo Li interrupted in deep pain: "And how long will this go on for?"
"Hmm, it depends on your Immortal Essence supply, so probably 5 hours."
"5 Hours!?" Mo Li almost fainted from shock, then pain.
"Trust me the benefits are worth it but for now, you can just rest the process is automatic and we should be safe here."
Hearing Peng Da's words Mo Li began to lie on the floor and fall unconscious:
"Oh, I forgot to mention, the Gu is not perfect, it will consume and devour the soul and consume and replace the brain transforming your body into an empty husk oops." Peng Da's smile seemed incredibly sinister:
"Hmph, since you took my life from me it's only right, I take yours too, and since you took my freedom even in death, I'll take yours too!"
Peng Da was incensed, he felt incredibly unjustified ever since Mo Li killed him: "If you want to blame someone blame yourself."
Red Lotus quietly observed the scene: "To think Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable had such a vicious method but there should be more hidden secrets in that Gu than just a body made of metal, right?"
Unbeknownst to him, one other person was watching as well:
"Interesting, that Otherworldly Artificial Adaptive Suit Gu requires Otherworldly Steel Path Dao Marks to make, and its effect is extraordinary!"
It was none other than Fang Yuan!
The Heaven Path Killer Move Fang Yuan had used was Stealing Heavenly Secrets!
Although Fang Yuan could not hide its activation within such proximity of the other Venerables he could at least hide its effects!
Through this bout of Natural Inspiration Fang Yuan found out whose Tribulation it was, previously even the Heavenly Dao was isolated from this Stone Continent, but the ascension attracted the Heavenly Dao.
This was why Fang Yuan's Stealing Heavenly Secrets could not identify Red Lotus's schemes but thanks to Mo Li's tribulation he could at least sense that chamber.
"To think that Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable did not use the Otherworldly Artificial Adaptive Suit Gu, I wonder if it was because his 'Nice' side didn't want to, or it was too weak to be of use at his level."
Fang Yuan did a rough deduction and found that the Otherworldly Artificial Adaptive Suit Gu was capped at Rank 8.
This was due to the need for Otherworldly Dao Marks!
From Rank 6 to 8 it wouldn't need additional Otherworldly Dao Marks but from Rank 8 to 9 it would be required.
But of course, during Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable's time there was no other way, but Fang Yuan on the other hand:
"If I can obtain enough Order, I could raise this Gu to Rank 9!"
The other 3 Venerables were completely out of the loop:
"Judging from Red Lotus's frown Fang Yuan's move seemed to have worked. But what do you think it did?" Genesis Lotus asked Star Constellation.
"I have no concrete answer, but I believe that it is similar to Luck Path in that it can dismiss or divert a Tribulation, possibly to himself, but if it also managed to stop the ascension that would be a whole different case."
Red Lotus of course wanted to ride on the confusion: "Fang Yuan you've gone too far!"
"Hmph, my move merely wiped out the Tribulation why are you so incensed it was merely a few Hundred Steel Path Dao Marks." Fang Yuan snorted.
Fang Yuan also wanted to keep up the confusion on what his Killer Move actually could do!
"Red Lotus is that boy so important to you?"
!!!
"How do you know about him!?" Red Lotus was instantly alarmed, and so was the other Venerables.
"Hehe, so you admit there's a boy."
"..." Red Lotus was speechless:
"Did I...get played?" Rd Lotus was so alarmed that Fang Yuan said 'boy' instead of 'man' or 'woman' that he inadvertently revealed the truth!
The other Venrabels saw this:
"As expected of Fang Yuan he's an expert at fishing out information from responses."
We're closing in on 90 Chapters !!! On the path to 100!!!
During Feb, I'm planning on doing maybe 2 chapters a day, while also looking into having a Patreon for advance chapter viewing.
So on webnovel it'll be like a free 2 chap daily and on Patreon, you could purchase additional chapters, not sure about it yet just a thought, but I will try the 2 chapter thing at least.