As long as the opponent was not activating two defensive Gu at the same time, Hong Yi, launching a sudden strike, could land a light blow on the opponent's body, heavily injuring them and thus defeating them.
If the opponent did activate two defensive Gu simultaneously, Hong Yi would not attack immediately; instead, he would adopt a war of attrition. When the opponent activated two defensive Gu at once, their true essence consumption rate would definitely be faster than Hong Yi's.
It could be said that with this Gu in hand, Hong Yi had a huge advantage and had a nine out of ten chance of winning first place in this competition.
"If I get first place, moving mother's memorial tablet into the ancestral hall will be perfectly justified. Hm?" Suddenly, Hong Yi frowned. In that instant, he felt his heart go empty, as if something precious and important had been stolen from him.
"Could it be that my long-cherished wish is about to be fulfilled, making me anxious and uncertain? I am all alone, and besides the Passable Gu, I have nothing. What else could I have that is worth stealing?"
Hong Yi shook his head, smiled bitterly, and cast aside that unpleasant feeling.
In a distant valley, Fang Yuan slowly exhaled: "The linked luck succeeded."
For this linking of luck, he had seized the time to briefly rest in the Fox Immortal Blessed Land and then immediately rushed over, thus avoiding any more accidental disturbances.
Fang Yuan used the Luck Inspection Gu and kept watching Hong Yi's luck.
His luck was milky white, very distinctive, giving a feeling of fullness and hidden vitality. The luck condensed into a clump, forming the lofty posture of a scholar sitting or lying down reading a book. The scholar's face had about a third resemblance to Hong Yi's. The look was spirited and grand.
But now, after being linked to Fang Yuan's luck, the white scholar luck immediately shrank to less than a third of its original size.
Moreover, the scholar's originally smooth brocade-like robes had become tattered, covered in patches. It was as if a wealthy young master had been reduced to a poor, destitute student. The face was no longer so spirited; instead, it was gaunt, and the expression was full of gloom, like talent going unrecognized.
"It seems linking luck with these targets is indeed beneficial. Last time I linked with Han Li, he nearly choked to death. This time, linking with Hong Yi didn't bring him death luck. It seems my own luck has indeed improved a lot." Fang Yuan thought to himself with satisfaction.
Just as he was about to leave, his heart stirred slightly. He spotted two sneaky Gu masters secretly lurking in the valley.
Previously, to perform the luck linking, Fang Yuan had set up many Gu insects in the valley of the Living Beings Academy. On one hand, to mask the aura of the immortal Gu during the process, on the other, to monitor the surroundings and provide early warning.
It could be said that the entire valley was under Fang Yuan's surveillance.
Fang Yuan closed his eyes and perceived.
These two sneaky Gu masters were quite strong—both were Rank Five Gu Masters.
They were sneaking along the other side of the valley, murmuring softly.
"Master Fan Yi, are you sure there are ganoderma forests and earth horses under this valley?"
"Valley Lord Yuan Bai, it can't be wrong; I've seen it with my own eyes! Don't rush, follow me into the cave. Once you see it yourself, won't you believe?"
"Hmph, this is the territory of the Living Beings Academy. If we are discovered by its principal, Hong Xuanji, we'll be in deep trouble."
"Though Hong Xuanji is powerful, his scouting abilities are lacking; otherwise, he would have discovered these nearby abundant resources long ago. We are prepared while he is not, how could he find us?"
"Alas, if we are discovered, the leaders of our two sects sneaking into the Living Beings Academy at night—our reputation would be destroyed."
…
Fang Yuan overheard their conversation.
"Ganoderma forests? Earth horses?" His heart stirred.
These ganoderma forests grew in underground caves, often stretching for dozens of li. Each giant ganoderma was as huge as a tree, its flesh plump and rich, used to feed Gu insects or sold as refining material.
Earth horses were native strange beasts in the ganoderma forests. In each forest, only two or three lived as a family. The hooves of an earth horse were one of the main materials for Rank Five Earth Escape Gu. Its eyes could be used to make Invisible Penetration Gu. Its tail hairs could refine Dust Gu.
Earth horses were truly treasures all over, no wonder they attracted the coveting of Valley Lord Yuan Bai and Master Fan Yi.
But for Fang Yuan, earth horses and ganoderma forests had little appeal.
Earth horses were strange beasts, at most equivalent to Ten Thousand Beast Kings. A family of earth horses consisted of no more than two or three Ten Thousand Beast Kings. Ganoderma forests were sold widely on Treasure Yellow Heaven, common goods that Fang wouldn't need to spend Immortal Essence Stones to buy.
"However, for the Living Beings Academy, the vast underground ganoderma forests are an extremely important resource. Too bad they are still kept in the dark."
Fang Yuan thought a bit and then still followed the two Rank Five Gu Masters from a distance, smoothly entering the underground ganoderma forest.
Sure enough, as he had estimated, it was an ordinary ganoderma forest spanning nearly ten li. Three earth horses, a family of three, lived in the forest.
"What a huge ganoderma forest!" Yuan Bai exclaimed as he walked through the forest.
"This is a boundless treasure land; why didn't it appear in my valley? Alas!" Fan Yi stroked the plump, tender trunk of a ganoderma, a tone of jealousy in his voice.
Fang Yuan bypassed the two of them and arrived at the very center of the forest.
There grew the largest ganoderma, over two zhang high, directly touching the cave ceiling. Its fleshy cap was like a huge umbrella covering a large circle.
This was the King Ganoderma.