Now that he had the Rank 9 Dream Prison Gu could dismantle and exit the Dream Prison but Fang Yuan did not.
If others could see him, they would think he was slightly out of it, as if he was in deep contemplation.
"Now's not the time," Fang Yuan used some Immortal Essence to take control of the Dream Prison.
"First let's open up a way to see outside," as the controller of the Dream Prison Fang Yuan could control anything that went in or out of the Dream Prison.
He allowed himself to connect to the outside world without the outside world being able to spy on him.
It could be said that the creations of the Future were advanced.
"This Rank 9 Gu is leagues above normal Rank 9 Gu, even Heaven Path Gu aren't so powerful. But that's to be expected it is a Battlefield Killer Move as Gu"
Fang Yuan put his curiosity aside and focused on consolidating the new information that he had gained while leaving his clones to use Stealing Heavenly Secrets to spy on what was happening in the Gu World.
Of course, being a Rank 9 Killer Move, none of the clones could use it freely, but Fang Yuan solved this by transforming the move into the Gu House Stealing Heavenly Secrets, it had no added power as it was just created to allow the clones to use the Killer Move Stealing Heavenly Secrets with Fang Yuan's Yellow Apricot Immortal Essence.
"Oh? A competition to determine the next Venerable candidate?" The clones began gathering information.
"I see," Meng Qiu Zhen said, "It seems that Heavenly Court, on the surface, is trying to find the next potential Venerable."
"But is that all they're after?" Zhan Bu Du chimed, "I can't help but feel there is a thicker plot."
The clones tried probing further but to no avail.
"It seems Heavenly Court is on to something," He Chun Qiu said, "It seems as if they've somehow managed to block out the Heavenly Dao's senses."
The movie Stealing Heavenly Secrets was as ingenious as it was powerful, using the natural inspiration that came from the Immortal Ascension, one could brute force their way into just about anything in the Gu world, as long as it was within the scope of the Heavenly Dao.
Of course, it went beyond Wisdom Path's deductions and protections, this was like tapping into the 5 senses of the Heavenly Dao itself!
But to encounter obstruction would mean that either the target has exceeded the scope of the Heavenly Dao or the Heavenly Dao is purposefully not allowing him to view it.
Either of these options was concerning.
"Either there is someone who has reached the threshold between Dao Emperor and Dao Lord, or the Heavenly Dao has become aware of the Killer Move Stealing Heavenly Secrets and is trying to block us from accessing certain information, and since its siding with Heavenly Court, that can only mean that Heaven might be interfering." Wu Shuai concluded.
"Then what should we do?" Zhan Bu Du asked, "The main body has asked us to remain an observer to the events outside and to not interfere, is there something wrong with him?"
"Indeed, something might be wrong, after the main body defeated Great Dream he seemed in a daze and out of it," Meng Qiu Zhen added, "It might be the effect of some Killer Move that Great Dream used on him and he's trying to fight it."
"Then is there anything we can do?" they asked.
Meng Qiu Zhen shook his head, "Great Dream violated the laws of Time bringing knowledge of the future to the present, her attainment of Dream Path is absurd by our logic, likely, a Grandmaster in our time may not even be Master in hers."
"Then what happens if the main body succumbs to her move?" Zhan Bu Du asked the question on everyone's mind, "Our goal is to achieve Immortality no matter what, should we enact the backup plan now?"
This was a heavy decision that required the approval of all of Fang Yuan's clones, it was a backup plan that Fang Yuan implemented, after seeing Spectral Soul create Shadow Sect using his clones.
Fang Yuan created a Killer Move that exclusively only his clones can use, it would teleport them away with a portion of materials from the Sovereign Immortal Aperture.
This failsafe could only be enacted when there was 0 hope for the main body and required the approval of every clone.
"I don't think we've reached that point yet," Wu Shuai said, "That Killer Move is unstoppable by the main body anyway so we should reserve it for later."
The others nodded in agreement.
Wu Shuai continued, "Right now there are only 2 options, first, Meng Qiu Zhen try to assist the main body as much as possible, you possess the most knowledge regarding Dream Path so you're our best bet."
"I'll do my best," Meng Qiu Zhen nodded and got to work.
Wu Shuai turned to the rest, "For the rest of us, we need to become stronger! The main body is indeed almost incomparable in the Gu World itself, but if we need to 'abandon' ship our strength is too meagre!"
"Therefore I propose that Zhan Bu Du, Hei Chun Qiu and I will go into seclusion to break through to the Dao Lord realm."
!!!
"A-are you sure?" Li Xiao Bai asked, he had remained mostly quiet due to being one of the weakest clones, "It'll take a lot to achieve Supreme Grandmaster, especially for Zhan Bu Du."
Although both Hei Chun Qiu and Wu Shuai were at Quasi-Grandmaster, due to Fang Yuan's attainments, Zhan Bu Du was only a Great Grandmaster.
Still, being 1 step closer to Supreme Grandmaster was hardly enough, the gap between Quasi and Supreme Grandmaster was enough to call it impossible.
If going from Great Grandmaster to Quasi-Supreme is equivalent to flying from the Earth to the Moon, then getting to Supreme would be like crossing into another Universe altogether!
It is required to have the potential to surpass the entire world's understanding!
And that alone wouldn't be enough, it required an insanely fortuitous encounter, for Fang Yuan to reach Supreme Grandmaster in Refinement Path he had to acquire not just the Long Hair Inheritance but Thieving Heaven's Fake Gu Refinement Inheritance as well!
"I know it's nearly impossible," Wu Shuai sighed, "But there's nothing else we can do."
"This…" Li Xiao Bai suddenly understood the immensity of the main body, "Even reaching Rank 9 is barely enough to be of help to the main body…"
Outside the Dream Prison,
Heavenly Court had continued with the competition, the numbers had continuously been whittled down until the remaining 100.
From there, they praised and congratulated the top 100, while noting down their names, and began whittling it down again.
"The next phase shall determine the top 10."
!!!
The crowd roared, "What!? Top 10!? We went from 10000 to 100 to 10????"
"What kind of competition is this?"
"Outrageous."
"Silence," Genesis Lotus' voice was neither loud nor soft but it carried authority, "This isn't some tournament for fun and games, we are trying to find the best possible candidate to bear the providence of being venerable, we aren't trying to cater to your whims or giving you a fair chance, a Venerable has never had a 'fair' life. It is about pure strength, luck and talent!"
Genesis Lotus held up his 3 fingers, "If you don't have all 3 then you can piss off."
He then lowered his index and ring finger, leaving only 1 finger in the centre.
This instantly stunned the world into silence.
Genesis Lotus didn't say anything else and warped the remaining 100 contestants to an arena.
"To determine the last 10, " Genesis Lotus snapped his fingers, and a beam of light landed on 10 people.
"These are who Star Constellation has determined would be our top 10," before the other 90 people could object, "Now this next part is simple, anyone not satisfied with the standings can challenge any of the top 10 once if you win you'll take their place."
!!!
The competition was as simple as it was brutal.
"Wait a minute," suddenly one of the top 10 contestants raised his hand, it was a pseudo-immortal named Xuan Liang.
"How is this fair for anyone? For those of us on the podium, we'll be facing countless onslaught from challenges while there is no reason for anyone to first, even if they were confident they could win."
Xuan Liang brought up fair points that were on everyone's minds.
"Hehehehe not bad not bad," Genesis Lotus did not get mad but instead laughed, "You're right kid,"
"Kid? I'm over 60!" This is what Xuan Liang thought but taking into account how old Genesis Lotus was, it seemed somewhat fitting.
But he kept all this to himself.
"Of course, we won't mistreat you guys" Genesis Lotus began to explain, "Actually the incentive to hold onto the top spot and fight for the top spot is this."
With a snap of his fingers, the 10 participants were raised on pillars of varying heights, dependent on Rank.
Suddenly, the 10 participants felt something, it was insights into their main path!