Fang Han's words struck the crowd like thunder.
Here in the Five Elements Realm, the disciples from the four great sects were all handpicked elites. Anyone below the Fifth Realm—Heaven-Man—wasn't even qualified to step foot inside. Every one of them had already comprehended the Heaven-Man level and mastered formations. Each had eight hundred years of lifespan ahead of them; they were true pathfinders on the immortal road. Compared to the first four realms, where cultivators struggled with only two or three centuries to live, these were the chosen few.
Yes, Fang Han was formidable—but in the eyes of many, he was just a reckless kid blessed by luck, stirring trouble wherever he went. And now he wanted single combat? To decide the ownership of the talisman?
Arrogant. Insolent. Utterly delusional.
All across the sky, elite cultivators stirred—eager to be the first to grind this upstart into dust.
One Heaven-Man expert from the Sun-Moon Sword Sect even flew out—until the Sword Maniac stopped him with a raised hand.
"Do not rush in. He has a Dao Artifact, and that Yellow Springs Diagram is unfathomable. If he dares boast this loudly, he must have some capital. Let Taiyi test him first. See what he truly has."
That settled it. None of the three sword sects moved. They waited calmly for Taiyi to make the first strike.
"Impressive move," Xingchan, the artifact spirit, whispered approvingly. "One: you're establishing dominance. Two: you're testing your own power. Three: you're cutting off their excuses. Four: you're setting Taiyi up for another humiliation."
She turned to the young Starcloud Baobao.
"Baobao, learn from Fang Han. These tricks will be very useful when you deal with those smug Starry Sky disciples back home."
Fang Han had the talisman. He could leave anytime he wanted.
But he had no intention of fleeing.
If he left now, the four sects would immediately claim the talisman belonged to Taiyi. Pressure would fall on the Yuhua Sect. Even Feng Baiyu, for all his brilliance, couldn't shield him forever. And if they labeled him a troublemaker "for the greater good," kicked him out of the sect…
He would be alone. Surrounded. Hunted.
No—he would meet this head-on.
"Senior brother, do we accept?" Song Wei transmitted quietly to Wang Tianyi. "He got the talisman first. Now he wants a one-on-one duel. Should we reject and kill him together?"
"No." Wang Tianyi, an Eighth Realm cultivator of wind-fire tribulation, was decisive. "If we refuse, the three sword sects will mock us. Worse, he already has the talisman and can escape the moment we pressure him. We won't corner him."
"Then why hasn't he left?"
"Because he's cunning. He knows if he flees, we will demand compensation from Yuhua. Feng Baiyu would face immense pressure. He cannot afford to run."
"So he thinks relying on two Dao Artifacts makes him untouchable? He hasn't even formed a Golden Core."
"He passed through the Five Elements Realm. He may have mastered the Five Emperors Demonic Divine Ability. We don't know its true strength. Rumors say it rivals apocalyptic tribulation. We must be cautious."
"What? Impossible! The apocalypse technique requires twelve elite cultivators working together! He's nothing!"
The twelve Golden Core heirs of Taiyi whispered among themselves.
"I heard he beat Wan Luo, but that guy only had seventeen divine abilities. Even cultivating the Panwu Force, he never opened a second sea of consciousness. Losing to Fang Han is not surprising. But Yuhua's methods can't compare to Taiyi's. I will capture him personally."
A voice cut through the air—cold, sharp.
Zhao Xuanyi.
The same man who had used the Black Sun Wind Disaster against Fang Han outside the Taixuan Immortal Mansion—and failed. Upon returning, he was punished by his sect master. He had since trained relentlessly, forging new powers, waiting for this day.
He stepped forward.
"Oh? Zhao Xuanyi?" Fang Han grinned, raising his hand. A streak of blood-red light shot into his palm—the Blood Skyblade. Its murderous aura spread instantly.
"You want single combat with me?"
"Of course." Zhao Xuanyi stood with hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed on the blade. "A nice Dao Artifact. Sadly, only a low-grade one. I don't need a Dao Artifact to kill you."
He smirked.
"And since you demanded single combat—if you run, the four sects will unite and march straight to the Yuhua Sect for justice. But if you die here… well, tragic as that may be, I cannot be blamed before Sect Master Feng."
Fang Han laughed loudly.
"Life and death are part of the path. If I kill you, Taiyi won't blame me either. After all, a duel is not children playing games."
"You kill me?" Zhao Xuanyi's lips twitched. He turned, addressing the sword sects loudly:
"This duel is voluntary. Whoever dies, whoever gets maimed—none of it concerns the sects. Will the three sword sects act as witnesses?"
The Sword Maniac barked out a laugh.
"Gladly! Sun-Moon Sword Sect stands witness. Live or die, no grudges!"
The Tongtian Sect's elder, Feng Feitian—"One Sword Soaring Through the Sky"—nodded as well.
"And if Taiyi wins the talisman, our sects will challenge them next. This is fair."
Then Danding Sword Sect also agreed.
The stage was set.
Zhao Xuanyi sneered, lifting his hand.
"Listen well, Fang Han. If you can hurt me, Taiyi will not trouble you. But if you die in my hand? Then you were simply too weak. The witnesses are here. Feng Baiyu can blame no one."
And then—
A burst of light erupted behind him.
Six jade-green stone tablets flew out, each carved with intricate patterns—dragons, clouds, lightning, demons, gods, and twisted runes like fragments of heavenly scripture.
But the strangest detail—
Each tablet had an eye in its center.
A real eye. With eyelid, pupil, iris—even eyelashes. And as they opened, the eyes stared at the world with chilling sentience.
Anyone caught in their gaze felt their limbs freeze and their scalp crawl.
The six tablets spun into formation, orbiting Zhao Xuanyi like stars, releasing a crushing field of force that sealed around Fang Han instantly.
Gasps filled the air.
"The Six-Eyed God-Sealing Tablets!"
"A formation-level treasure made of six supreme-grade artifacts!"
"A relic of ancient times—cultivated by fusing ghost blood and divine resentment to form a God-Sealing Eye! Terrifying!"
"They're not Dao Artifacts yet, but each tablet is a supreme artifact! Together—they form a god-killing array!"
"With this alone, he can challenge a higher realm!"
Shock rippled through all three sword sects.
Even the elders furrowed their brows.
No one expected Zhao Xuanyi to reveal something like this.
Wang Tianyi exhaled in relief.
"So that's why he acted so aggressively. He finally refined the God-Sealing Eyes after absorbing hundreds of demon kings' blood."
The truth was revealed.
Zhao Xuanyi had sacrificed countless treasures and fortunes to create the tablets. Today, he had finally awakened all six eyes, forging six supreme artifacts capable of slaying gods.
Hidden trump card, fully unleashed.
"Now it makes sense," Zhu Yang whispered. "He delayed his wind-fire tribulation not because he was weak—he was perfecting this monstrosity."
"Fang Han is done for," Song Wei declared confidently.
Above them, the six stone tablets spun faster and faster.
Six eyes blinked open.
And stared at Fang Han like a god passing judgment.