"Wan Lianshan, you've already lost," Fang Han said coolly. "If you keep fighting, I'll drain every last shred of your mana and astral force. You might as well surrender now. I won't kill you."
As he spoke, Fang Han circled Wan Lianshan at blinding speed. His body blurred into a thin streak of light, darting and weaving. Every so often, he struck with a palm, and each palm condensed into a miniature black hole, greedily devouring the primal energy around Wan Lianshan's body. It was like carving meat from a living beast—methodical, relentless—treating the top True Disciple of Wan Gui Immortal Island as nothing more than livestock.
After struggling for more than a dozen breaths, launching desperate counterattacks that achieved nothing, Wan Lianshan finally understood that he was completely suppressed. Still, he refused to concede. Drawing in all his mana, he compressed it into a single mass, fully merging his second soul with his true soul. Yin and yang cycled endlessly, forming a complete and perfect grand taiji.
At the same time, the mid-grade Dao Artifact—the Heavenly Fiend Shark Vessel—spun rapidly around his body, locking in every trace of energy so that not a wisp leaked out. It crashed left and right, trying to break through Fang Han's blockade.
For a moment, Fang Han found that he could no longer siphon Wan Lianshan's astral force.
"Fang Han, I admit you're formidable," Wan Lianshan shouted, seeing that Fang Han couldn't immediately break through his defense. "But defeating me today is impossible. I have a mid-grade Dao Artifact protecting me—you can't do anything to me. If we keep going, we'll both end up injured. How about we call this a draw and withdraw?"
"A draw?" Fang Han burst into laughter. "Surrender. Now. Otherwise, you'll regret it too late."
He opened his mouth and exhaled again and again. Storm clouds gathered, power surged, and torrents of mana poured forth, transforming in an instant into dense masses of Abi Demonic Qi. They spiraled tightly around the Heavenly Fiend Shark Vessel, then suddenly bored straight into it, immediately corroding the artifact.
Dao Artifacts were notoriously resistant to corrosion, but under the combined pressure of Fang Han's Great Devouring Technique and the suppression of his Golden Core, the forced injection of Abi Demonic Qi slowed the internal formations of the Shark Vessel. From within, the artifact spirit let out a roar like a furious whale and burst forth from the vessel's body.
It was a colossal divine figure—humanoid above, wielding a trident, but with a shark's tail for its lower body. Abi Demonic Qi coiled around it as it howled in agony. The trident spun wildly, and boundless thunder astral energy erupted, trying to expel the demonic qi.
"This mid-grade Dao Artifact is nowhere near the Sun–Moon Essence Wheels," Fang Han remarked coldly. "Not even close. Those wheels are a dual-cultivation artifact—their power can't be compared to a single Dao Artifact."
Even among mid-grade Dao Artifacts, the Sun–Moon Essence Wheels were several times stronger. Otherwise, Fang Han wouldn't still be struggling to refine them.
"Abi Demonic Qi!" Wan Lianshan trembled violently, thinking Fang Han had finally unleashed the full power of the Yellow Springs Diagram. Shocked, his astral circulation stalled for the briefest instant.
That instant was enough.
"Five Emperor Grand Demons! Nine Ghosts Walk the World! Devour primal energy, sever space and time—turn the hand to summon clouds, flip it to drown the heavens!"
Fang Han seized the opportunity without hesitation. His body moved like a divine dragon weaving rain through clouds—head unseen, tail elusive. He roamed freely, palms spread wide. The Golden Core appeared in his hand, shrinking in an instant to the size of a sesame seed. Endless space collapsed inward.
He flashed behind Wan Lianshan and slammed a palm down.
The Golden Core expanded abruptly—thousands of times larger—becoming mountain-sized as it crushed downward with overwhelming force.
Boom!
This was the same technique Fang Han had used to annihilate the Seven Divine Kings—compressing power to the extreme, then unleashing it in an instant. Even Wan Lianshan couldn't withstand it.
A violent explosion erupted. Chaotic ripples spread outward, distorting space itself. Wan Lianshan was blasted away, his Dao Artifact forcibly driven back into his body. He vomited a mouthful of blood, utterly stripped of the bearing of the fourth-ranked contender on the Longevity Candidate List.
His vital energy had been completely scattered.
He lay on the arena like Blood Dance Yang before him—a dead dog sprawled on the ground. Unlike Fang Han, he had nothing resembling even half an immortal body.
"Wan Lianshan, your defeat isn't unjust," Fang Han said calmly as he approached and crouched beside him. "You thought you could gain an advantage over me with your skills? Even if I were about to undergo the Wind–Fire Tribulation, you still wouldn't be my match. I devoured decades of your painstakingly cultivated Tidal Giant Whale Palm astral force—consider that your lesson."
He lightly slapped Wan Lianshan's face.
"I won't kill you. I'll let you reincarnate. Let this teach you what the Immortal Dao truly is. The Immortal Dao is power. Only power prevails."
He paused, his gaze sharp.
"Power isn't just brute force. You said I looked like a vulgar upstart, unworthy of the Immortal Dao. That only proves you don't understand it. The secular world is the Immortal Dao—and you don't comprehend that. Enough. Get off the stage."
"Fang Han, you're ruthless," Wan Lianshan snarled. "One day I'll enter the Longevity Secret Realm and fight you again. I'll repay today's humiliation!"
"I'll be waiting," Fang Han replied indifferently, glancing toward Daoist Long and Daoist Mu. "Though I'm afraid that before you ever reach the Longevity Secret Realm, I'll already have slain a few ancient giants."
The chill in his voice made Wan Lianshan shudder. Struggling to his feet, he staggered and tumbled off the arena.
The match left everyone present—including ancient giants—utterly stunned.
The most shocking moment was Fang Han's body being shattered and then reassembled, revealing something akin to a half-immortal body. That sight alone shook every observer to the core.
Reconstituting the physical body while still in the Divine Ability Realm was unheard of—unprecedented, even legendary. From that moment on, every word Fang Han spoke and every gesture he made seemed steeped in unfathomable meaning. Even his earlier acts—giving away supreme treasures and toying with ancient giants like Long and Mu—now felt deliberate, profound.
For a time, after Fang Han defeated Wan Lianshan, not a single elite from either the Immortal or Demonic paths dared step onto the arena to challenge him.
"Well?" Fang Han said, sweeping his gaze across the crowd. "So many experts from both paths, yet no one dares challenge me? In that case, I'll accept the inheritance of the three supreme divine abilities from Immortal Venerable Linglong."
He raised his voice.
"Primordial Ancient God Qi. Great Salvation Zen Light. Great Sumeru Mountain King Fist. Immortal Venerable Linglong—please descend."
"Fang Han," a voice rang out, sharp as steel. "I, Jiao Fei of the Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect, would like to test your abilities."
Clang!
A sword-light shot skyward, piercing the heavens and earth like a pillar connecting the worlds. It flashed and writhed like a dragon or serpent, then slammed down onto the arena. When it stabilized, a man appeared—sharp brows, star-bright eyes, robes fluttering, a sword on his back, hands clasped behind him.
Jiao Fei.
Ranked fifth on the Longevity Candidate List. First True Disciple of the Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect.
"You're ranked fifth," Fang Han said calmly. "Below Wan Lianshan. Even he couldn't stand against me. Aren't you afraid of being utterly crushed?"
"Wan Lianshan is strong," Jiao Fei replied evenly. "But if we fought, he couldn't do much to me either. I intended to challenge him anyway and push him down the rankings. As for you—your strength, I've already seen through it."
His gaze sharpened.
"You can't use the Yellow Springs Diagram. You're suppressing something within it. And the Wind–Fire Tribulation is brewing inside the core of your Golden Core. You're powerful, yes—but if we fight, I'm confident I can defeat you. More than that, I can trigger the Wind–Fire Tribulation within you and turn you to ash."
He smiled faintly.
"You know this yourself. In your battle with Wan Lianshan, you were already on the verge of losing control."
Absolute confidence radiated from him—the kind unique to sword cultivators. Their path was one of relentless advance, cutting down anything that blocked the blade.
Jiao Fei's insight was keen—sharper even than Wan Lianshan's. But after observing the previous battle in full, it was only natural.
His spirit, essence, and will were condensed to their peak—a state cultivated through countless repetitions of unshakable belief in victory.
"I hate people who talk too much," Fang Han said suddenly, his expression turning icy. "Get off the stage."
The temperature plummeted.
Snowflakes fell from the sky.
In an instant, the entire three-thousand-zhang arena froze into a single massive block of ice, trapping Jiao Fei before he could react.
Fang Han had a divine ability known as the Boundary of Ice and Snow.
Combined with his Water Emperor Astral Energy—the sovereign of all waters—it formed a frozen domain far stronger than Hua Tiandu's Profound Nether Frost Force.
"Such paltry ice, you think this can freeze me?" Jiao Fei laughed coldly. "Fang Han, you're naïve. Since you insist on posturing before me, I'll fully trigger your Wind–Fire Tribulation. Don't blame me for being merciless—you brought this on yourself."
He moved slightly.
A razor-sharp sword intent burst from his body. Sword-light flared, shattering the ice around him. He raised two fingers like a blade and slashed through empty space toward Fang Han.
Pshhk.
Above Fang Han's head, a sword qi appeared out of nowhere—silent, invisible—yet striking down with unstoppable force, reminiscent of the Formless Sword.
And Fang Han felt nothing until it was already there.
The Heart-Demon Grand Curse Sword.
The Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect's sword path controlled blades through mind, spirit, intent, void, and emptiness—utterly different from sects that wielded swords through pure qi. Profound and unfathomable, it rivaled even the ancient giants of the Formless Sword Sect and the Deathless Sword Sect.
Jiao Fei was a master sword cultivator, having perfected the Dao of the Void Sword. His attacks flowed freely between reality and illusion, creating mirage-like phantasms that trapped opponents in endless hallucinations—heart demons rising, minds collapsing—killing without drawing blood.
It was said that Jiao Fei's greatest technique was the Heart-Demon Grand Curse Sword.
A sword that never tasted blood.
One strike—and the enemy would drown in their own heart demons, dying not by Jiao Fei's blade, but by their own inner collapse.
Legend had it that Jiao Fei had slain countless foes in his life, yet his flying sword had never once been stained with blood.
And this Heart-Demon Grand Curse Sword did not originate from the Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect.