Fang Han's Five Emperors Grand Devil Arts had long been refined to absolute perfection. Every movement landed with pinpoint precision, designed to shatter Daoist protective qi, suppress magical artifacts, and counter all Five-Element techniques. Wan Lianshan, though the foremost true disciple of Myriad Return Immortal Island, specialized primarily in water-based divine arts.
That was only natural. Myriad Return Immortal Island lay amid the seas, where gathering pure Water Essence was effortless. Such energy nourished life, extended longevity, stabilized vitality, and granted immense endurance. Against most opponents, water-based cultivation held overwhelming advantages.
But Fang Han had already battled Yan Shuoyi.
Yan Shuoyi was the reincarnation of a Water God Primordial Spirit—peerless in water-based Dao techniques. Even Fang Han's Black Emperor Water Sovereign Fist had once been faintly suppressed by her Vast Sea Ancient Wave Palm. Yet that very struggle had allowed Fang Han to grasp countless subtleties of water manipulation.
Now, facing Wan Lianshan, the latter's so-called Primordial Heavy Water looked like a child's trick.
With the slightest shift of Black Emperor Water Sovereign movement, Fang Han slipped free—then unleashed the White Emperor Gold-Sovereign Slash in a lightning-fast assassination strike.
"Not good!"
Wan Lianshan's face changed violently. Milky-white qi erupted from every pore of his body, forming lotus after lotus in midair as they slammed directly into the descending golden blade.
Boom!
The lotus formations shattered instantly. Wan Lianshan was hurled hundreds of feet backward, nearly blasted off the arena entirely.
This man is terrifying, Wan Lianshan realized mid-flight. His understanding of water-based divine arts surpasses mine. If my physical body hadn't just been perfected through the Xuantian Nine Transformations, that strike alone would've cut me in half.
Even as he flew, the white qi condensed into a full suit of ancient-style battle armor—soft in appearance, yet layered with runes, formations, and roaring streams of power.
An extraordinary treasure.
A purely defensive low-grade Dao Artifact.
Wan Lianshan possessed a Dao Artifact after all.
Given his status as Myriad Return Immortal Island's foremost disciple, that was hardly surprising. Nearly all top-ten candidates on the Longevity List owned Dao Artifacts. Only figures like Yan Shuoyi, Fan Qingying, and Hua Tiandu wielded high-grade ones.
"Xuantian Returning Spirit Armor," Fang Han murmured, recognizing it instantly from the Records of the Worlds. "Pure defense. No offensive function—but once danger is sensed, it manifests automatically. Fast response. Even a Longevity giant's full-force strike can be blocked."
If Fang Han unleashed the full power of his golden core, he might shatter it. But not now.
"Oh? A fine piece of equipment," he said calmly.
His first strike had failed—but he didn't stop.
Fang Han swayed midair.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Thousands upon thousands of golden sword-qi tore through space, crashing down upon Wan Lianshan like a meteor storm.
"Do you think this kind of attack can defeat me?" Wan Lianshan laughed loudly as the Returning Spirit Armor surged like a white tidal wave, obliterating every blade. "Stop hiding your strength. Release that great golden core forged from ninety divine arts. Let me see what you're truly capable of."
Then—
"Xuantian Nine Transformations… Avatar of the Sea God."
Protected by the armor, Wan Lianshan released his Primordial Spirit.
Instantly, endless ocean tides manifested from nothingness. From the crest of the waves emerged a towering sea deity—skin azure-blue, scales glimmering, wielding a trident and banners of ocean dominion. Divine artifacts floated around it: sea flags, river chalices, storm emblems.
The entire arena transformed into a world of ocean.
Heavy tides, Primordial Heavy Water, crushing pressure—everything surged toward Fang Han.
"This Wan Lianshan truly deserves his fourth rank on the Longevity Candidates List," murmured observers. "His Heaven-and-Earth Dharma Aspect contains forty-five divine arts. Terrifying."
"So powerful… If he obtains the three supreme divine arts and is given time, he may become another Hua Tiandu—or Yan Shuoyi—or Fan Qingying."
Jiao Fei of the Heaven-Through Sword Sect stared grimly. His vigilance soared.
Among the Immortal Ten Sects and Demon Seven Veins, first disciples constantly measured themselves against one another. No one truly acknowledged the rankings.
Except for Yan Shuoyi and Hua Tiandu.
Those two stood above all others—not by reputation alone, but because they wielded high-grade Dao Artifacts.
Every elite present had come to this birthday banquet burning with ambition. Their sects had spared no expense, equipping them with every artifact and resource available.
"Demon Commander is also a contender," Jiao Fei muttered, his gaze drifting.
Though young, the Demon Commander was infamous for never entering battles he couldn't win. His strength had surged recently—enough to stalemate Blood Dance Yang. And behind him stood his father, Ying Xiantian, whose schemes had humiliated even demon sect patriarchs.
"But Wan Lianshan still hasn't revealed his mid-grade Dao Artifact," Jiao Fei thought darkly. "That artifact alone crushed countless elites at the last Immortal Assembly. Can Fang Han withstand it?"
"And why hasn't Fang Han used the Yellow Springs Diagram? Has something gone wrong?"
Fang Han's possession of that legendary artifact was public knowledge. Yet since entering Exquisite Fortune Land, he had never once summoned it.
And now, trapped within the Sea God Avatar—
Fang Han was clearly struggling.
The endless tides boxed him in. Though he moved fluidly within them, striking repeatedly with Black Emperor Water Sovereign Fist, every attack was blocked by the Returning Spirit Armor.
Even the weakest observer could see it.
Fang Han was losing ground.
"What's going on? Why does Fang Han seem so weak?" several giants murmured.
Six Paths Wanderer smiled knowingly. "I saw it long ago. Fang Han's golden core has already triggered the Wind-Fire Cataclysm. He cannot unleash full power. If he does, the calamity ignites instantly—burning him to ash from the inside out."
He chuckled. "His golden core is too defiant of heaven. His calamity far exceeds ours."
Water Mirror Scholar flicked his folding fan thoughtfully. "True—but that may also be his chance. The Supreme One Sect has issued a Heavenly Dao Kill Order against him. His realm is still low. If he reaches the ninth or tenth Divine Ability stage, he could challenge even ancient giants."
"In normal circumstances," Water Mirror continued, "he would never survive his Wind-Fire Cataclysm. But under extreme pressure… he might."
Six Paths Wanderer frowned. "That's madness. The risk is astronomical."
"And yet unavoidable," Water Mirror replied calmly. "Without pushing himself into mortal danger, he will never survive that calamity. Ninety innate divine arts—his Wind-Fire Cataclysm will incinerate him instantly if mishandled."
He sighed. "When I crossed mine, I had only fifty divine arts. My master sacrificed a thousand years of cultivation to prepare me—and even then, I nearly died. My body melted away, leaving only my head."
Six Paths Wanderer's eyes sharpened. "If Fang Han survives this… his future achievements may surpass ours."
No wonder, he thought, Exquisite Immortal Venerable values him so highly.