This is bad.
Fang Han's heart sank.
Jiao Fei still had a move like that—he actually managed to completely trigger my Wind-and-Fire Tribulation. Even the seal of the Grand Wish Technique shattered. With Linglong Immortal Venerable's cultivation, if she truly wanted to help me, she could have fully sealed this tribulation with the Grand Wish Technique. Why did she only suppress it partially? Was it intentional… forcing me to pass the Wind-and-Fire Tribulation in the midst of battle?
At the very last moment, Jiao Fei's detonation of the heart-demon seed had violently shaken Fang Han's golden core, shattering the Grand Wish Technique's seal. The Wind-and-Fire Tribulation was now on the verge of bursting free, and even Fang Han was startled.
Yet his mind did not descend into chaos.
Having endured countless life-and-death crises, Fang Han remained calm. In that instant of danger, a sudden insight flashed through his mind—and he finally understood Linglong Immortal Venerable's true intention.
His golden core had fused nearly ninety divine abilities. He cultivated both immortal and demonic arts without restraint, and his heart demons were severe. At the Wind-and-Fire Tribulation stage, the danger was extreme—there was a ninety percent chance of failure. Nine deaths, one slim chance of survival.
If he tried to secretly cultivate in isolation like an ordinary cultivator, he would never survive this tribulation.
He knew his only likely end would be to be torn apart by wind and reduced to ashes by fire—completely erased from heaven and earth. All glory would vanish like a dream or a bubble.
Linglong Immortal Venerable had seen this clearly.
That was why she hadn't removed the calamity—only suppressed it slightly. She intended to force Fang Han to unleash his full, unprecedented potential in the heat of combat and survive the tribulation by breaking through.
Once this realization struck, Fang Han's mind became clearer than ever before. His heart demons were instantly suppressed to the lowest possible level.
At the same time, he saw through Jiao Fei's Heart-Demon Curse Sword completely.
Buzz!
With a squeeze of his hand, Fang Han crushed the Heaven-Piercing Sword Spirit, forcing Jiao Fei to spit blood. Then, with a casual backward sweep, he caught the Slaughter-Calamity Sword that was striking from behind.
A sword of pure killing intent thrashed wildly in his palm.
A mid-grade Dao Artifact—caught barehanded.
Under normal circumstances, a mid-grade Dao Artifact was terrifying, capable of slaughtering gods and ghosts alike. But without reaching the Longevity Secret Realm, it was impossible to unleash its full power. Jiao Fei was still one step short.
Moreover, Fang Han had fused half of his immortal body with his golden core, pushing his strength to the absolute limit.
With a flick of his hand—
The Slaughter-Calamity Sword was suppressed.
Jiao Fei coughed up blood and crashed to the ground. He immediately circulated his mana through three great cycles and forced himself upright. But the instant he stood—
Fang Han was already behind him.
"Not good!"
He tried to flash away, but a massive hand clamped down on the crown of his head.
"Run," Fang Han said calmly. "Why aren't you running anymore?"
His left hand spread open, fingers like iron pillars, palm as broad as a fan. His body towered over Jiao Fei, three heads taller. That hand pressed down on Jiao Fei's skull—one squeeze, and his heavenly spirit cap would be torn clean off.
Having cultivated half an immortal body, Fang Han could enlarge or shrink any part of himself except his head, transform at will, disperse into qi or condense into form. Absolute freedom of form.
He had seized the perfect moment—suppressing the Slaughter-Calamity Sword, appearing behind Jiao Fei, and locking him down completely.
Jiao Fei turned stiffly, terror flooding his face. He could feel it—the horror of that hand. With even a fraction more force, his head would burst like a rotten melon.
"Fang Han," Jiao Fei said hoarsely. "This was only a sparring match. You won—I admit it. Even my Heart-Demon Curse Sword couldn't defeat you. Are you really going to kill me?"
"You're afraid?" Fang Han laughed softly, his voice cold and sinister. "You, who manipulates heart demons? Fear itself is a type of heavenly demon. It seems your heart demon is far heavier than mine."
"Breaking into the Longevity Secret Realm will be far harder for you than for me. I am considering whether to kill you."
Jiao Fei suddenly calmed down.
"The Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect still has some ties with you," he said quickly. "Today was only a contest. You were superior—I accept the loss. I will no longer compete for the inheritance of the three supreme divine abilities."
"And as long as you do not damage my body today and leave me a chance to glimpse the Longevity Secret Realm, I swear that I will never become your enemy. Moreover, I will agree to fulfill three conditions for you in the future."
"Never be my enemy… and grant me three conditions?" Fang Han pondered briefly. "The Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect does have deep ties with me. Your elder, Feng Feitian—'Sword Through the Skies'—once had a close relationship with me. He even accepted a million pills from me."
"Very well. I am currently organizing various sects to form a law-enforcement force. Your first condition is this: you will become a member of that force. As the first true disciple of the Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect, your status is second to none."
"A law-enforcement force?" Jiao Fei raised his brows, then nodded without hesitation. "Your ambition is great—but fine. I agree."
Fang Han immediately released his grip and casually tossed the Slaughter-Calamity Sword back into Jiao Fei's body. The sword was powerful, but not comparable to the Sun-Moon Essence Wheels. Keeping it would only invite endless trouble from the Heaven-Piercing Sword Sect.
Jiao Fei leapt down from the arena.
The instant he did—
Roar… roar…
Inside Fang Han's golden core, wind and fire howled violently, as if determined to reduce his entire being to nothing. No matter how he suppressed it, it was useless.
The Wind-and-Fire Tribulation was coming.
One of the most ferocious calamities in the Divine Ability Realm was about to erupt within Fang Han—and his was stronger than that of ten ordinary golden core experts combined.
Yet all of this unfolded within his mind and the core of his golden core.
Outsiders saw nothing.
They only saw Fang Han calmly break the Heart-Demon Curse Sword, manifest half an immortal body, and defeat Jiao Fei with overwhelming dominance. His prestige soared to terrifying heights.
He had consecutively defeated two experts ranked fourth and fifth on the Longevity Candidate List.
Instantly, none of the elite cultivators of the immortal or demonic paths dared challenge him. Compared to Fang Han, their strength was negligible. Some didn't even possess a low-grade Dao Artifact—one punch from Fang Han would leave them wishing for death.
"Anyone else?" Fang Han called out. "If no one comes forward, the inheritance of the three supreme divine abilities from Linglong Immortal Venerable will be mine."
He called three times.
No response.
"If no one challenges Fang Han," announced Qiu Xiyu, the Heavenly Punishment Elder of Linglong Blessed Land, who had benefited greatly from Fang Han, "then the Zuma Ancient God Qi, the Great Salvation Zen Light, and the Great Sumeru Mountain King Fist will be passed on to him."
"Fang Han—let me test your divine abilities."
A voice rose from the crowd.
White bone lotuses bloomed in the air. From within them, the Demon Marshal stepped forward, walking onto the arena and standing face to face with Fang Han.
"The Demon Marshal?" Fang Han looked at him calmly. "You want to challenge me too? Coveting these three supreme divine abilities?"
"Your cultivation is only at the ninth level of the Divine Ability Realm—you've just formed your Dharma Aspect. You're far weaker than Wan Lianshan or Jiao Fei. They were both at the tenth level, the Fate-Reversing Realm."
"You should step down. We aren't enemies—we've met before. No need to lose face."
"So?" the Demon Marshal smiled faintly. "You're not even at the Golden Core Realm, yet your cultivation level is lower than mine."
"In the Divine Ability Realm, as long as one's power is strong enough, techniques numerous enough, and treasures formidable enough, crossing realms to kill opponents is entirely possible."
"Isn't that exactly what you excel at?"
"So you really want to fight me?" Fang Han asked curiously.
"Yes," the Demon Marshal replied calmly. "I want to prove who is truly superior in Qingxue's eyes."
"And these three supreme divine abilities—I must have them. They are immensely beneficial to my demonic cultivation. If I obtain them, within three years my strength will surge again, and stepping into the Longevity Secret Realm will not be impossible."
"A great calamity is approaching. Everyone is scrambling for a single chance at survival. If I can reach the Longevity Secret Realm before it arrives, my chances of surviving increase dramatically. I have no choice but to compete."
"A great calamity?" Fang Han's heart stirred. Does the Demon Marshal know about the eight hundred million god race as well?
The Xuanhuang Great World currently appeared peaceful. Conflicts existed, but no all-out wars. Many cultivators felt no sense of urgency.
But Fang Han knew the truth.
Once the eight hundred million god race descended, the world would be overturned. The Immortal Dao Ten Sects, the Demonic Seven Branches, the Demon Five Clans—how many would survive? Would the Feathered Immortal Sect even remain?
Eight hundred million god race beings—what did that mean?
Even ancient immortals and sect masters would be swept away like sand before a flood.
Just imagining the sky filled with endless god race armies, god kings and god emperors descending, crushing heaven and earth, made Fang Han shudder.
"I don't care about any great calamity," Fang Han said, shaking his head. "But I will have these three supreme divine abilities. If you insist on fighting, don't regret it."
"I've already seen through all your strength," the Demon Marshal replied coolly. "I wouldn't act without confidence."
"And I can see it clearly—your Wind-and-Fire Tribulation has already begun to erupt within your golden core. In just a few breaths, it will fully explode. Jiao Fei's final strike shattered every last bit of suppression you had."
As he spoke, the Demon Marshal's brow split open.
A vertical eye bloomed from flesh and skin, emitting a glow. In an instant, Fang Han was locked in its gaze.
He felt as if all his divine abilities, all his mana, even the World Tree, were being seen through—clearly, thoroughly, without concealment.
What kind of vertical eye is this?! Fang Han was shocked.
Its power rivals the Azure Sea Divine Pearl and the Great Chaos Thunder Sword!