"Fang Han… this boy's Golden Core actually contains ninety divine abilities. Ninety! And he cultivates both immortal and demonic arts. Dragon Daoist, are you sure you saw that clearly? Inside his Golden Core there's even a Great Devouring Art—a spell that can swallow all forms of energy and attacks. That's one of the supreme techniques of the demonic path. Even a demon-god–level expert would need enormous effort to cultivate it. How could he possibly achieve it in just a few years?"
Halfway up Sumeru Golden Mountain, inside a luxurious reception hall, several Daoists were gathered.
Every one of them was powerful—either experts at the tenth realm of supernatural power, Heaven-Defying Fate-Changing, or true titans who had stepped into the Longevity Mysteries. All were here as honored guests for Exquisite Immortal Venerable's birthday.
Only people of their caliber were qualified to even step through the mountain gate.
"The Great Devouring Art is indeed a supreme demonic technique," Dragon Daoist said, stroking his beard. "Normally it's nearly impossible to master… unless you use that rumored method—engraving the Devouring Formation onto a Kunpeng egg and borrowing the egg's primordial life force to complete the technique. That version is even stronger than one cultivated personally. It seems this boy must have acquired a Kunpeng egg and converted it into the Great Devouring Art. No wonder he's so formidable."
A faint golden aura coiled around Dragon Daoist, forming the shadow of a coiling dragon—likely the source of his title. His insight was terrifying—only a Longevity Realm titan could see through Fang Han's ninety-fold Golden Core.
"But the Devouring Art isn't what mattered most." He turned to the wooden-skinned Daoist beside him. "Did you see that fleshly body? He defeated Blood Dance Sun not with magic treasures, but with raw magical power—activating all ninety divine abilities at once, using his own body as a weapon and crushing him head-on. That level of mobility and explosive force should shatter any mortal vessel. Even a top-grade treasure would crack. Yet he stood perfectly unscathed. His body is nearly immortal already."
The wooden Daoist—literally transformed from an ancient sacred tree—nodded, voice hoarse, almost creaking. "I saw it. His flesh is terrifyingly strong… but more importantly, he carries something that calls to me. If I could drive my astral energy into his body and examine it, I could confirm it. Something on him is immensely beneficial for me. If I obtain it, my cultivation will skyrocket."
Dragon Daoist's eyes widened. "A treasure that can make you advance rapidly? A wood-type sacred object? Or perhaps related to the Green Emperor's Wood Sovereign Art?"
"I'm not certain yet," the wooden Daoist muttered, a gleam of demonic hunger flashing in his wooden eyes. "But the pull is irresistible."
It was the World Tree, of course—a priceless treasure for any wood-based being.
"Then after the birthday ceremony, we'll go meet him." Dragon Daoist laughed. "The kid seems overflowing with treasures, throwing them around like they're worthless. With our status, it won't hurt to ask for one or two. He'll probably be honored to hand them over."
The others chuckled, looking at Fang Han as though he were a walking treasury waiting to be plundered.
In another celestial pavilion, a group of young elites gathered—among them the Demon Marshal.
"Demon Marshal, your warning was right. Fang Han really is monstrous. His strength is enough to contend with the top of the Longevity Candidate Rankings—perhaps even Brahma Pure Shadow himself. With Exquisite Immortal Venerable arranging this competition, he'll almost certainly win first place and gain the inheritance of those three supreme arts. Looks like we have no chance."
The speaker was a youth wearing beast hide, a metal ring through his nose, and white bone bracelets—an exotic, ancient aura surrounding him. Despite his wild appearance, his face was handsome, refined, almost aristocratic.
He was the son of the Barbaric Wild Demon Emperor—one of the Seven Demon Emperors—heir of the Barbaric Demon Sect, famed for its eerie, ancient sorcery. The sect's curses could strike from across continents—slaughtering via effigies, twisting fate, inflicting agony with voodoo-like precision. Their methods were unpredictable and terrifying.
This youth, known as Little Barbarian Lord, was powerful in his own right, but nowhere close to Blood Dance Sun, ranked sixth on the Longevity Candidate list. After seeing Fang Han destroy him, he knew his own chances had evaporated.
"So the three supreme inheritances are going to fall into Fang Han's hands?" A silver-bell laugh chimed from the side—a young woman whose every motion radiated intoxicating charm. "Surely we can come up with a plan?"
"Red Maiden, your Six Desires Demon Art grows more refined by the day," Little Barbarian Lord said. "Truly worthy of the number one genius of the Red Dust Demon Sect."
The woman called Red Maiden smiled faintly. "I'm only fifteenth on the Longevity Candidate list—not even top ten. If I could obtain Exquisite Immortal Venerable's three supreme arts, maybe I could break through that bottleneck. Among them is the Great Salvation Zen Light—a Buddhist supernatural power. Perfectly complementary to demonic arts. If I merge Buddha and Demon, my mind will be free from the interference of my life-bound true demon. That would increase my chances of entering the Longevity Realm tenfold."
"That Zen Light came from the Zorma God Sect, didn't it? Didn't Exquisite Immortal Venerable win it from their sect master in a contest?"
"We need a strategy," someone urged. "Demon Marshal, what do you think?"
"I only have one opinion: Fang Han is cunning. His mind turns faster than a thousand schemes. Whatever you do, be careful…"
Meanwhile, in yet another pavilion, immortals of the righteous path gathered. At their center sat Star-Extinguishing Evil—a top genius of the Starry Sky Sect, ranked seventh on the Longevity Candidate list, just below Blood Dance Sun.
Though he carried a mid-grade Dao artifact—stronger than Blood Dance Sun's—his divine abilities were fewer, so his ranking was lower. But in actual combat, their odds were fifty-fifty.
A sword-bearing young man spoke up—brows long as blades, sword intent radiating from every pore, as though ready to pierce heaven itself.
This was Jiao Fei, the first true disciple of the Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect—ranked fifth on the Candidate list, a thousand-year cultivator whose sword aura lived up to the name "Heaven-Piercing."
"Star-Extinguishing Daoist," he said, "that Fang Han is far beyond expectations. What's even scarier is that he defeated Blood Dance Sun without using a single treasure—neither the Yellow Springs Diagram nor the Blood Night King. If he unleashed those… could he fight a Longevity titan?"
Star-Extinguishing Evil shook his head slowly. "I've fought him before. Even when I borrowed the full power of the Starry Sky Sect's cave-heaven, I wasn't his match. And now… he's even stronger. I suspect that even Longevity giants would struggle to suppress him. His rise can no longer be stopped."
Jiao Fei's expression tightened. "If even the Starry Sky Cave-Heaven couldn't help you… then he is indeed terrifying. Still…" His hand brushed the hilt of his newly acquired sword. "I've recently obtained a blade worthy of testing. For the chance to receive three supreme divine arts from Exquisite Immortal Venerable… even if it costs me my life, I must fight."