The elders exchanged glances, their expressions growing complicated.
"Indeed. I've no idea where he learned his star–based divine art. By all rights, no one in the entire Xuanhuang World should surpass our Starry Gate in the Stellar Dao—not even the mighty Taiyi Sect." Elder Star-Punisher nodded gravely. "But Fang Han seems willing to collaborate with us. In time, he'll certainly reveal the secrets behind his technique."
"Fang Han… that boy's Forgetting-Emotion Water is already a mystery. His stellar divine art is another. For these alone, he's worth drawing to our side." Elder Shift-Star sighed. "If we could acquire the core method behind his cultivation, our Starry Gate could recover many deficiencies—perhaps even contend against the Limitless Star Palace someday."
At the mention of that distant and terrifying power hidden deep in the far cosmos, all the elders fell silent.
The Limitless Star Palace—those three words alone carried a hatred beyond death.
While the elders of the Starry Gate were busy fantasizing about Fang Han's stellar arts, the man himself didn't think much of them.
Truthfully, the Book of Boundless Stars was indeed no weaker than the Five Emperor Devil-Transformations. The technique condensed the power of myriad stars into a single celestial tome capable of containing all forces.
But Fang Han's path was not the Stellar Dao, and his understanding of star power was shallow. He did not realize how invaluable this divine art would be to the Starry Gate.
Had he known, he could have bartered it for treasures of astonishing worth—perhaps even convinced the Star Master himself to expend life force and impart a thousand years of cultivation, or exchange for a fully-fledged dao artifact.
Instead, Fang Han smiled lightly.
"Star-Extinguishing Daoist, since we've turned hostility into friendship, why not study together? I've also cultivated some stellar arts, though my grasp is far inferior to yours. And I happen to carry a Taiyi Sect supreme technique— the Great Sun Catastrophe. The sun is, after all, a star. If you don't mind, I'm willing to share this art with you for mutual insight."
He offered it openly, without the slightest hesitation.
The Taiyi Sect's divine arts were famed throughout the world. Giving one to the Starry Gate made refusal impossible—and would cause trouble for Taiyi if the art inevitably leaked. It was a calculated move, a bright and righteous scheme that benefited everyone but Taiyi.
Star-Extinguishing's face shifted through a dozen emotions. He could see the calculation—yet the offer was too tempting to refuse.
The Taiyi Sect's Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations arts, their Twelve Celestial Methods—every one of them was legendary. The Great Sun Catastrophe alone possessed the power to overturn the heavens. Even a glance at its structure would open countless paths of enlightenment for someone versed in stellar arts.
After a long silence, Star-Extinguishing finally grit his teeth.
"I have always wished to witness Taiyi's divine methods. If fellow Daoist is willing… I will gladly receive your guidance."
"Excellent. Let's continue this discussion in the alchemy chamber."
Fang Han descended with an inward smile.
Inside the pill room atop Nebula Baby's mountain, Star-Extinguishing arrived in a streak of starlight—only to freeze at the sight of the pudgy child sitting beside a furnace, dozing like an oversized infant.
Except… the "child" radiated a mysterious pressure. Star–light seeped from every pore, and above his head, a faint book formed entirely of star–force flipped its pages silently. The phantom tome gave off an oppressive aura that struck directly at Star-Extinguishing's soul.
What divine technique is this? I have studied the ultimate tomes of our sect, the Supreme Tai-Chi Star Codex itself—yet I have never seen anything like this. And it suppresses my arts…?
Shock hammered down on him, leaving his heart pounding.
Fang Han, unfazed, extended a handful of blazing sun–fire inscribed with Taiyi's scriptures.
"This is the method of cultivating the Great Sun Catastrophe. Feel free to examine it. In return, I am quite curious about the divine art you used to make sky–demons submit. Would you be willing to explain a little?"
Relief flashed in Star-Extinguishing's eyes.
"Oh, that? Don't worry—I cannot reveal Starry Gate sect secrets, but that particular technique isn't ours. It comes from the ancient Buddhist lineage. I comprehended it from an artifact I found in an old ruin—the Radiant Lamp Buddha Umbrella. It's a dao artifact with the power to make demons bow."
He produced a jade slip, his consciousness recorded within, and tossed it to Fang Han.
Fang Han caught it, scanned it—and his eyes narrowed in astonishment.
The method inside was unlike daoist arts, demonic arts, or anything in the mortal world. Its profundity was vast and strange—pure Buddhism.
After a moment of silence, he offered the complete method of the Great Sun Catastrophe in return.
And so—Fang Han officially won over Star-Extinguishing, the foremost true disciple of the Starry Gate.
The two spent three days and nights exchanging divine arts. Fang Han shared not only the Great Sun Catastrophe but also the Black Sun Wind Disaster. Star-Extinguishing, jubilant, explained the secrets of the Buddhist technique—the Great Universal Mercy Light.
Only after an exhaustive discussion did he depart, deeply satisfied.
When he left, Fang Han remained seated, his expression serious. After several hours of quiet contemplation, enlightenment flashed in his gaze.
"So this Great Universal Mercy Light is truly a supreme divine art… The mysteries of ancient Buddhism are profound beyond measure. What a fearsome path—one that creates an entirely new system of power. Its capacity to influence hearts is unparalleled. Even the most potent demonic soul–techniques don't compare."
If Buddhism were ever to spread across the Xuanhuang World, neither the immortal nor demonic sects would survive. Every mortal would turn to the Buddha. Even beasts would bow.
For this technique did not rely on qi, spirit, magic, or elements. It relied solely on the heart—on gathering one's compassion, selflessness, benevolence, and righteous courage into a pure, radiant force capable of affecting all living beings.
Every creature carried seeds of kindness and evil alike.
This art drew forth the good and suppressed the bad.
Thus—even fiends like the Ghost Emperor could cultivate it, though doing so would weaken their own ghostly powers.
But achieving mastery was nearly impossible.
One could not rely on pills or energy or treasures—only one's own heart.
This was why Star-Extinguishing had given it away so lightly.
Without the Buddha Umbrella, the technique was almost useless: slow to cultivate and offering no direct combat strength. He had only been able to convert weak demons thanks to the umbrella's power.
Yet Fang Han, unlike him, was not ordinary.
He formed a hand seal, and deep within, he urged forth every thread of compassion, courage, charity, and humane intent. His murderous schemes, the cold calculations, the ruthless ambition—all were pushed aside.
A serene, boundless mercy rose from within him.
His entire presence shifted: benevolent, solemn, awe-inspiring.
A faint glow curled around his fingertips—the embryonic form of the Great Universal Mercy Light.
Weak. Fragile. Barely a spark. It couldn't even make a tiger eat grass, much less convert a demon.
Fang Han nodded.
"Indeed… cultivating this art is unimaginably difficult."
He was about to stop when something deep within his body trembled—a tiny reaction, as though awakened by the Buddhist glow.
"What artifact is responding…?"
With his mind, he probed the source—and froze.
It was a talisman stored within the Yellow Springs Diagram.
A simple paper charm bearing the six-syllable Buddhist mantra Om Mani Padme Hum—a teleportation charm tied to the Five-Element Land.
A charm that shouldn't react to anything.
Yet the moment touched by the Mercy Light, some deeper secret stirred inside it.
"This charm was left by the ancient Buddhist sect… The same sect that suppressed that primordial demon lord… Could it be more than it appears?"
Fang Han withdrew the talisman and examined it carefully.
At the same moment—far away in the vast cosmos, deep within the Five-Element Land—
Under the Five-Element Spirit Root, the ancient demon lord in the form of an old Taoist suddenly opened his eyes.
"The charm… has been disturbed."