87 Chapter 2422: Time Gu
By this point, the Stone Continent had risen above the River of Time, signs of its time spent underwater were evident as large cascades of water was still pouring off the now risen Continent.
4 figures could be seen flying high above the stone continent.
It was none other than the 4 Venerables!
They had decided that the safest option was to wait for the Stone Continent to fully emerge from the River of Time.
This would allow them to retreat and not be obscured by the immense River of Time.
"As per the agreement we shall work in rotation from me to Giant Sun to Fang Yuan and then Genesis Lotus," Star Constellation reiterated the plan.
This was so that the consumption of Immortal Essence was kept 'fair'
Even if another Venerable was more specialized for a particular task, if it was not their turn there was no choice but to waste energy and effort, this was the compromise they agreed to.
Star Constellation activated her Killer Move to scout and survey the entire Stone Continent!
"It seems that everything above is there for show, there's nothing other than ordinary stone for 100s of Kilometers!" Star Constellation then brought her hand down: "Which means it's all underground!"
Starlight bore through the ground, like moles, decimating any rock in its path.
Even though Star Constellation was not an Earth Path cultivator, cutting through rocks was no problem.
The Starlight burrowed through the ground to discover the colossal space within, with the towering Upslope Downslope Road in full view.
"Oh?" Star Constellation, Genesis Lotus and Giant Sun were surprised by the scene.
They did not expect Upslope Downslope Road to be with Red Lotus Demon Venerable, after all, it was last seen within the Myriad Beast Fusion Color Heaven, which was owned by, Fang Yuan!
"Friend Fang Yuan would you like to explain what that is doing here?" Star Constellation smiled with a smile that was not a smile.
Fang Yuan smile back and shrugged his shoulders: "I haven't the faintest clue."
Fang Yuan turned his back and proceeded forth: "Come now don't delay I believe it's Giant Sun's turn next."
The 3 Venerables were extremely warry of Fang Yuan.
"Something's afoot here."
"First, Reckless now Red Lotus there's a conspiracy going on,"
"How many more secrets are you hiding…"
Each Venerable had their thoughts on the situation but they didn't let it show, they proceeded to follow after Fang Yuan's lead.
"Hmm? I can sense something similar to Refinement Path but also Human Path?" Fang Yuan's intuition was sending signals to him.
Inside, the secret room:
Red Lotus let out a sigh: "*Sigh* Looks like it's inevitable."
A screen of light flashed on the wall, revealing a moving image of the 4 Venerables.
"It's Lady Star Constellation and Lord Genesis Lotus!" Zhao Lian Yun exclaimed.
She had a tumultuous day with all the shocking revelations she encountered: "I should let them know our,"
But Red Lotus cut her off: "No! They can't know of this project, or it'll ruin everything! I'm going out to face them all I need you to do is stay here and when it's complete…"
Zhao Lian Yun nodded, and Red Lotus vanished from sight.
The 4 Venerables directly landed at the very top of the Upslope Road, its restrictions could not hold them down.
Standing before the group of 4 Venerables Red Lotus looked imposing and mighty, despite being hollow and translucent.
"Fellow Venerables I know this is asking much but I have to advise you to leave." He spoke with solemnity and firmness.
The Venerables were taken aback by how to direct Red Lotus was:
"Hahaha, as expected of Red Lotus the man who had lived 1000 lifetimes," Star Constellation laughed and shook her head: "No perhaps even more than 1000, you're straightforward and to the point."
"Red Lotus I will be frank with you; we came with the pretence of reclaiming the lost Gu Immortals but now we won't leave without taking your life!" Star Constellation eyes blazed with fire.
She had long predicted that Red Lotus would eventually harm Fate, but she was incapable of stopping it as the result was the only thing she knew, not his methods, Red Lotus had obscured them well through the creation of the Stone Islands.
Star Constellation did the best she could, by preparing and obtaining Time Path Gu, Gu House, and Gu Immortals!
But alas, it was all for not.
It didn't even stop Fang Yuan millions of years later from destroying Fate Gu and retrieving Red Lotus's inheritance.
"Red Lotus," Fang Yuan began to size up the man who played the biggest role in setting up his rise.
"I'm giving you all one more chance, leave or don't blame me for being impolite!"
Red Lotus's aura began to surge.
"How interesting," Fang Yuan could feel that Red Lotus did not possess a body and was only a Will yet he still managed to exert such force.
The other 3 Venerables were also more intrigued than worried.
"*Sigh* It's always the same with you people," Red Lotus lamented that he had to show he was a threat to be taken seriously.
Red Lotus began to exude a deep bright red, and he pulled out a Gu.
This Gu instantly shocked the other 4 Venerables:
"Is that real?"
"Rank 9!?"
"It can't be…"
Red Lotus grinned: "Indeed it is Rank 9 Time Gu!"
!!!
Time Gu!
A Gu beyond legendary, to control Time Gu was to dominate Time Path itself and by extension the world.
After all who could fight against Time?
Even Venerables eventually die due to Time.
While the other 3 Venerables grimaced at the notion of Red Lotus having a Rank 9 Time Gu Fang Yuan scoffed:
"Tch, fakeeee," Fang Yuan shook his head, seeing the other 3 Venerables cast doubtful gaze: "Oh, don't get me wrong it's a genuine Time Gu alright but it's not a true Rank 9 Gu."
"Time Gu gives the user absolute control over Time, and by proxy, the River of Time…in theory. In practice from Rank 6 to 8 Time Gu can only affect the River of Time through the use of other Time Path Gu such as Day, Month and, Year Gu"
Fang Yuan casually took out the corresponding Gus in their Rank 8 forms.
"Normally, Time Path Gu call upon the power of the River of Time but using Time Gu would allow you to directly instil that power into your Time Path Killer Moves, effectively incorporating a Secluded Domain of Heaven and Earth into your Killer Moves."
Fang Yuan then smirked: "However, Rank 9 Time Gu does truly allow you to control the River of Past, and Present but not the Future! [1] That would require a Rank 10 Gu."
"What Red Lotus has barely covered the scope of the River of Past, which within the River of Time can give the illusion of a Rank 9 Gu but I can see the Dao Mark makeup of the Gu it's still short!"
The 3 Venerables were stunned by Fang Yuan's explanation, they heaved a sigh of relief, should Red Lotus have full control over the River of Time they would stand no chance!
This was the River of Time!
A primordial Secluded Domains of Heaven and Earth!
It existed before…well anything!
The vast power contained within the River of Time was something that even a Venerable would not want to contend against.
As the River of Time exists in perpetuity all around the Gu world, Heaven Path Dao Marks get absorbed by the Time Path Dao Marks, this is the process known as aging!
However, to Dao Lords, the River of Time's effects are lesser compared to normal humans, due to the abundance of natural Dao Marks that form a sort of resistance between the Time Path Dao Marks and their Heaven Path Lifespan!
But it still gets through!
Slower but ever steady.
This is how even the youngest Venerable lived 3000 years. [2]
Time is relative, as the Dao Marks brush away at your Lifespan Dao Marks [3] but it is still essential about resisting Dao Marks!
It's like trying to block a Killer Move that's always active and can slip by any barrier!
The natural barrier of refined Dao Lord Dao Marks serves as the best insulator against the River of Time.
Though it's still not enough!
"I need to be immune to the effects of Time not apart from it!" Fang Yuan shook his head as he tossed the idea of building a base that would isolate him from the River of Time.
After a few seconds of deductions, he noticed a critical flaw, he could indeed live forever within such a base however, it would be incomplete stasis!
While Time Path Dao Marks do leach off Lifespan Dao Marks, they are also the thing that provides all the movement in the world!
Without, Time there would be no progression from A to B we would all remain at the start!
Red Lotus sighed in his heart: "Fang Yuan has grown far beyond my imagination; his grasp of Time Path and the various other Paths has only grown since devouring Primordial Domain!"
Even minor and obscure Paths like Phantom Path were around the Great-Grandmaster level.
"He has become too strong if he continues down this path…" Red Lotus shook his head and focused on the situation in front of him: "I won't let it."
"Fang Yuan you're indeed right this is not Rank 9 Time Gu but even you can tell it's extremely close!"
Fang Yuan remained silent, confirming Red Lotus's words.
"Heavenly Court only saw the surface of what my Stone Islands were for, in reality, they served 1 other purpose, distracting you while the Stone Continent refined the Rank 9 Time Gu!"
"Once, it's complete I have enough stockpiled Immortal Essence to take at least 1 of you down with me!"
[1] I split the River of Time into 3 segments, past, present, and future. Not much lore here just easier to narrate.
[2] I always found it a bit ridiculous that the Venerables would live a crazy number of years through only Lifespan Gu and Lifespan extension methods. So, I feel that maybe after the first 1000 years they would consider such options or that at the very least 1 year to everyone else is the same as 1 month for a Venerable because they refined the World's Dao Marks, they have a buffer. Still, Time is like water, and it drips in to leach some life away.
[3] I know they are a form of Heaven Path Dao Marks it's just weird to keep saying Heaven Path Lifespan Dao Marks.
