"Since Brother Jiao Fei is so intent on proving himself, I won't sit quietly either," said the first disciple of the Sun–Moon Sword Sect, Fang Wanjian. "I may only be ranked twelfth on the Long-Life Candidate List, but I've mastered a few new techniques recently. And with several treasures bestowed by my sect master, my strength has grown. I refuse to believe that Fang Han is so overwhelmingly powerful he could crush me outright. As for Blood Wuyang? Perhaps his sudden defeat came from a flaw in his demonic cultivation. That is not proof Fang Han is unbeatable."
His words struck a spark. Many of the gathered prodigies nodded, stirred by pride. Among these guests invited to Linglong Celestial Venerable's birthday, nearly all were first disciples of their sects — geniuses who carried the honor of their lineages. None of them possessed the temperament to bow easily.
To them, Fang Han's sudden rise looked like the luck of a nouveau-riche cultivator: a man who stumbled into fortune. Resentment simmered behind their eyes. Why should he overshadow them?
Only Xingmie Xie, who had actually fought Fang Han inside the Star Gate's domain, let out a silent sigh. He knew better than anyone how vast the gap truly was. That was before Fang Han's latest surge in power. Now? The man had grown beyond imagination. Xingmie Xie knew that until he stepped into the longevity realm and became an Undying Ancient, he would never challenge Fang Han again.
Thank the heavens, he thought silently. He's still short of one crucial step. Once I break into the Longevity Realm, his reign ends. I'm only half a step away — a little fortune is all I need.
While the great talents of the demonic path schemed, while the top disciples of the orthodox path stewed in pride and jealousy, across the mountain, in another palace altogether, Linglong Blessed Land's female disciples were engaged in more innocent chatter — though still about the same man.
"So that's Fang Han? Amazing! And the way he casually throws around upper-grade artifacts… If only I could become his Dao-companion!" one youthful disciple whispered, eyes sparkling.
"Don't be ridiculous," an older sister with the cultivation of Heaven-Man Realm scolded. "Fang Han is destined for the Longevity Realm. None of us could match him — not even the senior sisters who have formed their Golden Cores."
Another joined in excitedly, "I heard he might have ties with Lady Fang Qingxue, the reincarnation of the Electric Mother! And Young Master Moshuai is obsessed with her too — both of them are here on the mountain today. Do you think there will be a conflict?"
"Moshuai? Against Fang Han?" a senior snorted. "Blood Wuyang already fell. Moshuai wouldn't last a breath. But he's a dangerous one — cunning and cold. Never suffered a loss in his life."
Just then, a woman stepped out of the inner hall — a Golden Core expert known as the Sixth Senior Sister. At once, the other disciples bowed.
"Sixth Senior Sister!"
She nodded calmly.
The bolder disciples approached her with sound-transmissions:
"Senior Sister… rumor says your previous-life husband, Lord Xiao of Nightless Island, was killed by Fang Han, and your son expelled from Yuhua Sect. But now Fang Han is a key figure in the sect master's strategy. We mustn't disrupt the grand plan."
"My past life has nothing to do with me," she replied coolly. "I reincarnated eighteen years ago. My former life's grudges no longer exist. What Master has decided, I will fully support."
The entire mountain buzzed with speculation — admiration, envy, fear, schemes.
Yet Fang Han himself was calmly drinking tea with Linglong's true heavyweight: Elder Tianfa, Qiu Xiyu.
Steam curled upward from the cup, forming shifting shapes — cranes, beasts, swirling clouds. The fragrance carried a hint of celestial clarity that cleansed the mind and sharpened one's cultivation.
"Fang Han," Qiu Xiyu said with a gentle smile, "this tea was brewed from Six-Spirit Tea leaves I harvested on Tea-Plume Star. Taste it."
The moment it entered his throat, warmth spread through him like a tide. Even his flesh seemed to glow.
"What excellent tea!"
"Of course. I rarely serve it," she laughed softly. "A single cup can refine one's physique like a heavenly pill. But since I've offered you such tea… shouldn't you offer me a gift in return?"
It was half jest — a test. With her status, she lacked nothing. Even if Fang Han brought out a Dao-artifact, she meant to politely decline.
But Fang Han smiled calmly.
"In fact, that reminds me — I do have something perfect for Elder Tianfa."
He raised a hand.
A storm of sword-light erupted from his body — tens of thousands of blades weaving patterns through the air. A grand array unfolded in the hall, forming tens of thousands of elegant women wielding swords, dancing in a sea of blades.
"The Ten Thousand Immortal Ripple Sword Formation!"
Qiu Xiyu shot to her feet, shock breaking through her composure.
She had expected something rare — but not this.
"This is the very formation crafted by the ancient Ripple Immortal Fairy herself… My sect's Ripple True Sutra is descended from her lineage!" she murmured, voice trembling. "Though not a Dao-artifact, when formed, this array surpasses many Dao-artifacts. To forge my undying body, I have long lacked exactly this formation…"
Her eyes narrowed suddenly.
"But this array was in the hands of Taichi Sect's Yan Shuiyi. How did you obtain it? Yan Shuiyi is the reincarnation of the Primordial Water God — even I cannot easily deal with her. She also carries the Ocean God Pearl."
Fang Han recounted the encounter — the ambush by Yan Shuiyi and Fan Qingying, their attempt to stop him from offering the Golden Core gift, and the ensuing battle.
"Fan Qingying…" Qiu Xiyu frowned. "That woman is even more dangerous. She wields an upper-grade chaotic thunder sword. Even I must avoid her unless I use my Dao-artifact. Your Yellow Springs Diagram is truly fearsome."
Fang Han silently admitted the truth: without his arsenal of artifacts — Without the Gate of Hell, the Bridge of Calamity, the Eightfold Pagoda — he would have died to those two women.
"And how did you escape them?" Qiu Xiyu pressed.
"Linglong Celestial Venerable intervened," Fang Han said simply. Then he lifted his left hand.
Wrapped around his index finger was a single strand of green hair.
Qiu Xiyu froze.
"That… that is… the Myriad-Tribulation Sentimental Thread?!"
Her reaction startled Fang Han.
"What thread?"
"…I was mistaken," Qiu Xiyu said abruptly, sitting back down. Her face became unreadable. "Think nothing of it. If the Celestial Venerable arranged it, then it is your fortune."
She turned her palm over and displayed a screen of light — revealing the two outer-realm giants, Dragon Daoist and Wood Daoist, speaking in a distant pavilion.
Fang Han heard their voices clearly:
"With our status, he should be grateful to curry favor with us."
A cold laugh echoed in Fang Han's chest.
"So that's how it is. They think I'm an easy mark."
His smile sharpened like a blade.
"Two Longevity-Realm first-step ancients… but I've now reached a point where even such figures can no longer casually crush me. If they wish to take advantage of me — then I promise them one thing."
A killing intent flickered in his eyes.
"They'll regret ever setting their sights on me."