The main character has the opposite of plot armor the entire book. He is incredibly unlucky constantly, and that is initially explained by saying it is the side effect of Spring Autumn Cicada. However, he now has "amazing" luck apparently, even using an "extremely powerful" luck immortal gu to raise his luck. It makes no difference. If you want to see a main character that succeeds, this is not the book for you. He fails at everything. It is to the point that if I see a good thing get introduced I know that the main character will not be getting it.

However, there was one single exception to this. That was the Sovereign Immortal Fetus Gu. This gu allows him to reshape his aperture, gain enormous potential, and make up for every other missed opportunity he has seen. The novel built up to this single Gu for over a thousand chapters.

Now, onto the situation.

So, the main character wants to gain strength quickly so his enemies don’t overpower him. He is worried that they will grow stronger than him if he gives them enough time. This is already baseless, as he has dozens of times the potential of them and simply letting time pass would allow him to get astronomically stronger than them.

The main character decides f*ck that, he wants to rank up to rank 7. The reason given is that he will get more potent immortal essence and be able to do prolonged battles more easily.

First of all, he easily did a battle lasting more than a week straight without putting him in a bad situation. That is the most extended a battle has ever been in this novel by far. Like by multiple times. So there is literally no reason for him to even worry about that.

Secondly, and more importantly, he can completely make up the difference in immortal essence through money. Immortal essence stones = immortal essence. He stated numerous, numerous times at this point in the novel that he was extremely wealthy and was getting wealthier by the minute. There is literally no reason for him to want to get to rank 7 as he has zero need for it. The only increase in battle strength gained would be the more potent immortal essence but he doesn’t need it.

But, whatever. Doesn’t matter. Main character wants to get to rank 7, then whatever. Right? Wrong.

The main character has 3 options at this point.

Give up on s*upidly attempting to raise his “strength” by getting to rank 7 as it literally doesn’t raise his strength. Instead, speed up the immortal aperture’s time flow and raise the heavenly eagle to rank 8. He has 720 years of lifespan gu as well, so he could easily bond with it for like 50 years and have it be super loyal. The time in the outside world would be minimal. He would gain a ton of immediate combat strength and still preserve his continuing advantage through his natural potential in this method. Though frankly, he doesn't even need to do this. Just by living he will be progressing at a faster pace than them.

Get to rank 7 by progressing the speed of time in his immortal aperture. This would allow him to face numerous calamities and tribulations in a row, rapidly gain strength, and become rank 7 in like a single day. Additionally, this rank 7 wouldn’t just be shallow and provide only better immortal essence. He would be the best among the best rank 7s. An overlord who can fight head-to-head with rank 8s. There's no need to even stop there. He can continue progressing through rank 7, then rank 8, he could literally become rank 9 in like a week if he wanted to. The only concern that might be had is “he isn’t strong enough to undergo all of these tribulations.” You are correct that he cannot immediately face off against a myriad tribulation. But by the time he gets to a myriad tribulation, he would be able to! By progressing through tribulations he can gain strength immensely quickly because of the potency of heaven’s attacks. He could easily sweep the hardest myriad tribulation that could possibly be thrown at him. f*ck, he could probably fight rank 9s with his rank 8 body, a feat that no one has ever done before. All in ONE WEEK. Or...

He can consume other people’s immortal apertures. This will rapidly help him progress to rank 7 realm. It will just take, idk, a month. This will also make him skip all of his calamities and tribulations so no worries there! Oh, wait. Now that he is skipping all of his calamities and tribulations, by the time he gets to rank 7 realm he will have ZERO gain in strength. The only gain will be from having more immortal essence, which, again, means NOTHING since it can be replenished with money, which he has an abundance of. It also completely f*cks up his future because the gains that he missed now will never be able to be regained. The author tried to say some bullsh*t like “he gains more dao marks from immortal apertures that he devours.” No, he f*cking doesn't. That's only comparative to other people. In his own situation, a single devoured aperture gives him about 7000 dao marks and progresses him past 4 tribulations. This is lowballing it because I'm not counting heavenly tribulations btw. So, in those 4 tribulations, he would gain approximately 10000 each time. Yeah, you heard that right. He becomes weaker, it takes longer, it's more difficult to accomplish, it ruins his future potential, it gives him a lower immediate effect, etc, etc, etc. This is literally the worst possible decision he could have ever made. This is probably the most impactful decision in the entire story at this point. It completely f*cks up the gains he got from the past 1000 chapters and ruins his future gains as well.

The worst thing is that the author clearly has gotten too far. He realized that his main character was too good and was getting too strong so he made the main character ret*rded and made his strength obsolete. Most of the time I would say whatever, like the main character will get strong later anyways. But we were building to this for one THOUSAND chapters. I spent weeks reading the accumulation until this point all to have it thrown away on a f*cking whim. It is so s*upid and aggravating I am actually considering dropping the novel here.

This is only the first part of the situation. Second of all, the main character has a constant pestering enemy. One that shouldn't exist in the first place, shouldn't exist now, and shouldn't exist in the future but still persists. I'll explain.

The enemy shouldn't exist in the first place because his escape from Southern Border was based upon his usage of Fang Yuan's Fixed Immortal Travel. That should NOT be how using lent gu works. Throughout the novel, dozens of times the author repeats how gu is not easily stolen. How the owner can destroy it with a single thought. Now, suddenly, 1000 chapters in the author changes his mind. For some reason, he can take Fang Yuan's gu and use it. Whatever.

But this enemy won't f*cking go away. The main character interacts with him so much, proclaiming that he wants him dead a dozen times. Then the main character goes over and finds him and the enemy runs away. Main character can't chase for whatever s*upid reason the author cooks up, and this scene will repeat again in 20 chapters.

This wouldn't be AS frustrating if it actually made sense. If it was just a smart enemy facing Fang Yuan, then whatever. But it isn't. This enemy is CLAD in plot armor. So much plot armor you would never believe it. The author straight up forgets the plot when working around the plot armor of this guy. Like, for example, the characters would be fighting in the sky, above an ocean, and one of the enemy's lackeys pulls the earth from the ground and defends against the main character. They are in the SKY above an OCEAN. Even if he can do that, which he shouldn't be able to, how can he do it so quickly that it surpasses the speed Fang Yuan attacked? Did he pull the earth up with light speed?

Then the main character fights them and instead of like going around the wall or targeting one point in the wall or using a strong move to break through the wall, he slowly chips away at the way, layer by layer. He doesn't poke a hole in it, he starts destroying the whole wall. Why??

Then, predictably, the enemy gets away again after some more boring terrible unrealistic plot-armory fight scenes. It reads horribly, seeing how the author straight up doesn't care about the rules of his novel anymore. He just makes stuff up and it suddenly works because it is the enemy doing it. The novel feels increasingly shallow with this total disregard for reality. To see this from my perspective, imagine watching a horror movie where the characters are constantly breaking the fourth wall. It totally ruins the immersion and the world that has been built. Every conflict that does happen will feel fake.

Also, this isn't even the worst part of the novel atp for me. It is the insane amount of background characters and how much the author focuses on them. In the past maybe 20 chapters only about 2 have been about the main character. The other chapters have been following background characters completely unrelated to the plot. Like people who have zero influence on the story. The entire 18 chapters dedicated to them could be summed up in a single sentence and it would have the same impact on the story.

All I want is to be able to trudge through this part of the book where this enemy is being annoying and get back to the realism but it is taking hundreds and hundreds of chapters because of this. It is to the point where I feel like I'm going to catch up to chapter 2300 whatever and this guy will still be around. I am so sick of it.

the greatest human path inheritance, and in my opinion, including the readers

Southern Border, dawn.

The wet dew and the dense cloud-like mountain fog produced a depressing feeling.

The merchant caravan did not continue moving, moving in this dense fog on the mountain was very likely to create problems.

The young Fang Yuan was sitting beside a simple bed.

Gu Master Big Beard was lying on the bed, and was already on the verge of dying.

"Fang Yuan, thank you for the medicinal herbs." Gu Master Big Beard spoke with an extremely weak voice.

Fang Yuan was feeling extremely stifled, as he sobbed: "Uncle Big Beard, you will get better."

Gu Master Big Beard shook his head: "How could I not be clear of my injuries? Don't cry, child, crying is of no use to us."

"I was once young like you, and had big dreams."

"Unfortunately, my aptitude was too bad, and I finally sank into this current state."

"Hehe."

"This world is too big, while we are too small."

"When I was a child, I wanted to be a grand hero, like those legendary figures of the righteous path. When I was a youngster, I wanted to be a clan leader. When I was an adult, I was satisfied with becoming a clan elder. When I was a middle aged man, I was exiled from the clan, I felt that I could live by myself just as well, I was satisfied with just raising my Gu worms and myself."

"Do you know what I want now?"

Fang Yuan wept softly: "What?"

"I just want to quietly lie down inside a quiet room and slowly recall the past, until death comes to take me." Gu Master Big Beard had a self-mocking expression.

"Then, then should I leave?" Fang Yuan did not know what to do.

"Leave. Let me be here alone, I don't want others to see my dying appearance." Gu Master Big Beard said.

Fang Yuan slowly stood up and hesitantly walked to the door.

At this time, Gu Master Big Beard spoke once again: "You must have read <<The Legends of Ren Zu>>. There is a chapter which tells the story of the miniman walking out of Ordinary Abyss."

"We are all minimen, and we all want to walk out of Ordinary Abyss."

"Oh..."

"You must continue on, Fang Yuan."

"Continue living, continue persevering."

"It is a pity that all my Gu were destroyed in the battle. This is my advice to you, my only gift. To us minor characters, crying is of no use, no one will hear us even if we shout, we can only persevere by ourselves."

"Persevere until you accomplish great feats, become extraordinary. Either that, or embrace death."

...

Facing Frost Tide tribe's leader's long-winded speech, Fang Yuan fell into silence. (the Frost Tide tribe leader, called the MC "naïve" for being "selfless" in helping the merman girl, Xie Han Mo)

But he only fell silent for a short period before he chuckled and transmitted his voice: "You think I am not aware of what you said? You think I am an inexperienced youngster? No, I understand all these tricks, clearly in fact. I know these truths and have accepted them."
...

Frost Tide tribe's leader was frustrated, replying quickly: "Since you know these truths, then you should know you are taking great risks now! This is our merman internal political battle, what are you, a weak human Gu Master, doing by meddling? You like Xie Han Mo? I can guarantee that after this matter is finished, I will gift you many more beautiful mermaids! Don't doubt my sincerity, I can swear an oath to the Sea God!"

"There is indeed no need to doubt the sincerity of a merman who swears an oath to the Sea God. But... " Fang Yuan continued: "Although I accept these truths, it does not mean I like them. You think I like Xie Han Mo? No, no, I only want to help her. Why am I taking such risks to help her? Because I have my own principle, favors must be repaid, hatred must be returned."

"I have used lifespan Gu, I have lived much longer than you can imagine. I used to wish for a long life before, but now, I am tired of this thought. Life has become increasingly boring. Sometimes, the final destination of the journey is not important, the important thing is the process of the journey and how you feel during the journey."

Frost Tide tribe's leader involuntarily opened his eyes wide at these words, it was hard for him to understand Fang Yuan's way of life: "You are saying the position of saintess is not important, the important thing is helping Xie Han Mo in this competition?"

"Correct, but there is still more. You talked of the dark side of politics and promised to gift me mermaid beauties, both have no importance to me. Let me put it this way so you might understand a little, I have lived long enough that I am already sick of wearing a mask to live. Death is not scary to me at all. Right now, I only want to live using my truest emotions and feelings, I will achieve my goals in my own way. Only by living like this can I feel the excitement of life and the desire towards living!"

Frost Tide tribe's leader was dumbstruck and stupefied, he finally understood as he shouted: "So that's it, you are a lunatic! You have said so much but they are nothing more than saying you have lived long enough and don't want to live anymore! So be it you were a Gu Immortal, but you, a mere rank three Gu Master, want to live life your own way? You are dreaming!"

Fang Yuan smiled: "You think becoming a Gu Immortal can allow people to live according to their will? Live without wearing a mask? A place with people has society and conflict. Survival and living are two different things. The way you want to live does not have to depend on your strength and cultivation level, but your own heart."

After a brief pause, Fang Yuan continued: "Actually, low strength is also quite interesting. When you live without a mask, low strength will allow you to face more difficulties and challenges of reality; surpass these difficulties, face these challenges, and life becomes much more wonderful."

Was an ally of necessity because the main character was too weak to live on his own, but he had a card he could play to control the 'ally' and treat them as a bodyguard/servant. There was going to inevitably be a confrontation between the two due to their natures, and the author did a good job at writing that part. The start of the fallout is a well written scheme, and the other party makes a very satisfying counter. It was very good step in a very interesting relationship. Both parties had understandable motives and neither acted incompetent.

Hei Lou Lan, the 2nd one, is brought in to replace the first 'ally' after a very boring arc. The main character and her are both caught in a field where winds of death are trapping and approaching them. The MC has 2 methods of teleportation one is super valuable but single person and the other is sharable and less expensive; Hei Lou Lan has exactly no way of getting out. So when Hei Lou Lan breaks out a scam from all the way back in early Runescape saying "If you give me the valuable one I will return it along with something of equal value I will steal using it. I would use the sharable one. However, you control where we go with it, and I don't trust you enough to follow you." the MC readily agrees. Later when she comes back and has failed at stealing the valuable thing to repay him with he comments "Oh, getting this back was a nice surprise", and he never asks for other compensation.

That wasn't some scheme or anything he just went along with it. There were several reasons why this is even more ret*rded than it seems at a glance. Firstly, the MC is very fine with the idea of dying while pursuing his dream while Hei Lou Lan is very attached to life until she fulfills hers. Hei Lou Lan had a consumable that would turn someone into a willing follower, and the MC had ready access to a marketplace and the resources (He could buy 10s of thousands of the things easily) to buy them. He also got very good value out of one previously and should have well known the value in having one around. MC also had access to a space where he could take her to make her completely powerless if he felt rushed in that situation. The MC had all the leverage in their negotiation and a very reliable way to get compensation, but he still went along with her farce for some reason.

He somehow ends up in an "equal" relationship with her, but she does absolutely nothing to earn her keep. He helps her pursue her dream of killing her father, comes up with a way to include her in his business venture (purposefully giving her a lot of easy money to buy her loyalty), and he even ends up directly saving her life. I really can't think of one time he benefited from their alliance after all that work though.

If she wasn't bad enough on her own Hei Lou Lan also brings her aunt into the alliance, and the aunt develops some weird religion around keeping the MC in check because he is "growing too fast." It is a very annoying set of characters, and there is another f*cking one. Hei Lou Lan thought that MC asked for too much compensation when he saved her life so she calls in a super bad ass aunt from out of nowhere with no foreshadowing to break the alliance and extort the MC.

The first 'ally' was competent and self reliant. Hei Lou Lan is incompetent (despite the MC repeatedly claiming otherwise), and she couldn't even betray the MC until her deus ex machina aunt with top class fighting power, "smart schemes", and an endless supply of guilt towards Hei Lou Lan comes to save her. We see a competent MC turn into an incompetent one and fight with an impotent rival. It is just sad to see.