"A thousand lunar wheels… eighty-one spirit swords… forming a single grand formation… let me think… Yes—that's it! This is the Evolving Moon Array, used by the notorious third-ranked thief among the Forty Sea Pirates, the Moon-Stalker. His ambushes and assassinations always relied on this formation. Even on a normal day, it shakes the heavens—and when the full moon rises, the array can even stir the tides of the lunar force itself. They say at full power, it nears the strength of a Dao-grade artifact—capable of grinding all things to dust!"
Hundred-Battle Realman suddenly shouted, recognizing the origin of the massive sword array enveloping Reincarnation Peak.
"That's right. This was the Moon-Stalker's prized treasure."
An elder nodded, equally surprised. "How did it end up in Fang Han's hands? Did he actually kill the Moon-Stalker? Impossible. That man was a formidable Golden Core assassin. Rumor says he even crippled some wandering experts who'd already undergone the Wind-Fire Tribulation."
"Still… it might be possible. If Fang Han really slew him, he could claim the bounty from Return-to-All Immortal Island."
"That reward means nothing to Fang Han now. Didn't you hear? He bought a pure-yang treasure ship—the Great Brahma Radiance Vessel—from the Heavenly Dao Pavilion for two hundred and sixty million pills. His wealth is beyond comprehension."
"Wealth means nothing if your cultivation doesn't keep up. He still hasn't formed a Golden Core, has he? His combat strength all comes from two Dao-level treasures—Yellow Springs Diagram and the Blood Sky Demonic Blade. Impressive for now, but over-relying on artifacts will eventually cripple long-term growth."
Hundred-Battle Realman shook his head. "That's why I don't think he stands a chance against Meng Shaobai."
But the next moment, his voice stopped abruptly.
He stared blankly, eyes bulging red like a bull's, breath turning ragged.
Because—
A deafening chorus of ghostly wails erupted. Waves of spectral howls rolled from Reincarnation Peak as clouds of black mist surged upward. Within those clouds, countless resentful spirits swirled, and amid them floated five hundred pitch-black command flags, each radiating demonic flames.
Another mountain-guardian formation—far stronger than the Evolving Moon Array. A massive demonic array with a formation nested inside another.
"What is that?! Such terrifying demonic qi! Five hundred command flags… Are those the legendary Six-Myriad Ghost-Binding Soul Flags? That's the Ghost Emperor's personal treasure—the Ten-Thousand-Ghost Banner, forged to protect his life! How did it end up with Fang Han? Has he colluded with the Ghost Emperor?!"
True disciples across the mountains were shaken. Even elders within the Yuhua Heavenly Palace shot into the sky, preparing to intervene, worried Fang Han had fallen into the demonic path.
But what came next made them exhale in relief.
Amid the rolling darkness, Fang Han's figure appeared. Behind him floated an enormous demonic palm—the Heaven-Shrouding Demonic Hand—glimmering with five-colored radiance. Every grab stripped away layers of symbols, qi, and earthy yellow forgetfulness essence.
Instantly, the ghost clouds churned violently. As the forgetfulness water washed through them, the resentment dissolved, turning into clean spiritual essence. That essence condensed into towering, muscular spirits clad in radiant five-colored armor—Giant Spirit Gods, guardians in ancient Daoist legends.
So that was his intention.
Fang Han was cleansing the Ten-Thousand-Ghost Banner to forge the Giant Spirit Banner, recorded in the Panwu Titan Divine Ability—a technique blending demonic treasures with celestial refinement to produce superior divine artifacts.
Though Fang Han wasn't a natural craftsman, his raw strength, Yan's guidance, and the insight he'd gained observing the Elder of Heavenly Execution refine the Blood Night King made the process smooth and instinctive.
One by one, the five hundred ghost banners transformed into Giant Spirit Banners, millions of spirits merging into Giant Spirits. Fang Han tossed precious materials—loot from the Moon-Stalker and Star-Extinguisher thieves—into the banners, further empowering them.
Watching the colossal demonic hand and the transformation of the banners, countless disciples and elders stood dumbfounded.
Light burst from Reincarnation Peak, its momentum surging until it rivaled Meng Shaobai's mountain—and even challenged the central Heavenly Capital Peak of Hua Tiandu himself.
The Evolving Moon Array was already a terrifying sword formation. Once activated, its thousand lunar wheels and eighty-one blades shredded all intruders. Under the full moon, it could draw in the tides of lunar energy, becoming exponentially deadlier.
The Giant Spirit Banner was even more overwhelming—each banner housed a Giant Spirit God capable of hurling thunder, ripping apart mountains, devouring celestial essence, or merging into the invincible Giant Spirit Grand Array.
With these two guardian arrays set, even a Ninth or Tenth-Level Divine Ability master would struggle to shake Reincarnation Peak. It was impregnable.
"The Ten-Thousand-Ghost Banner? That's the Ghost Emperor's treasure! And that's his Heaven-Shrouding Demonic Hand! He once wiped out the Floating Cloud Sect with that hand—capturing their Golden Core Sect Master alive! Even when that cultivator self-destructed his core, the Ghost Emperor escaped with only minor injuries. That hand is terrifying!"
"How did those treasures fall into Fang Han's hands? Don't tell me he killed the Ghost Emperor? That's absurd—impossible!"
"Even Senior Brother Hua Tiandu might not be able to kill the Ghost Emperor! Fang Han couldn't possibly be that strong!"
"No way… And yet—those artifacts are right there…"
All across the sect, disciples trembled in awe.
And just like that, Fang Han's refinement overshadowed all of Meng Shaobai's momentum. The monstrous breathing on Meng Shaobai's mountain halted as he, too, sensed the disturbance.
Not only ordinary disciples—even Fang Qingxue, Wan Luo, Lingxiao, Jia Lan, and several elders in the Heavenly Palace were shaken.
"Such power… What future is left for someone like me? Did he truly acquire the Five Elements Spirit Root? I want revenge—yet revenge seems impossible now. No… I refuse to accept it! I refuse!"
Wan Luo's fury churned, but despair gnawed at him.
Then—
A mass of dark, writhing flesh rose into the sky: the severed hand of a Demon God. It pulsed grotesquely. Fang Han flew into the air, bellowing:
"Break!"
His Life Talisman erupted in radiant five-colored light that swept across the entire sect. Auspicious clouds surged, celestial drums thundered, conch horns echoed. Even the sky seemed to tremble as waves of divine praise whispered across the void.
Boom!
The talisman smashed into the Demon God's hand, which exploded into black blood-rain that fell into the Five-Prisons King Cauldron.
"Fifty-five divine abilities! His Life Talisman contains fifty-five divine abilities!"
Jia Lan's shocked scream pierced the mountains.
The entire sect fell into stunned silence.
Fifty-five divine abilities—what kind of monstrosity was that?
"I—I only have nine divine abilities…"
Iron-Bone Realman nearly coughed blood.
"My Golden Core… if it clashed with that talisman, it'd shatter instantly. Even if I self-destructed it, I doubt it could scratch him… Fifty-five divine abilities…"
Wan Luo felt a tidal wave of hopelessness drown his spirit.
"Celestial signs… conch horns, war drums—this is the omen of one destined for immortality! How long has it been since our sect produced a genius like this?!"
With a bang, the doors of the Heavenly Execution Palace burst open. The Elder of Heavenly Execution flew out, shouting in disbelief.
Fang Han's Life Talisman radiated an aura that defied language—holy, infinite, sovereign, transformative, immortal. Even Golden Core experts felt insignificant before it, as though it could crush them in an instant.
Meng Shaobai's world-swallowing breath technique suddenly seemed cheap—dimmed to nothing. The center of the entire sect was no longer Heavenly Capital Peak.
It was Reincarnation Peak.
Even the Nine-Palace Golden Tower above Hua Tiandu's mountain dulled.
Then Fang Han's voice echoed across the sky:
"Fellow disciples—on my journey to the Barbarian God Temple, I sought the Five Elements Spiritual Root and indeed claimed certain gains. Along the way, the Moon-Stalker, Star-Extinguisher, Immortal-Slayer, and the traitor Ghost Emperor ambushed me. All but the Immortal-Slayer were slain. You need not worry—the Ghost Emperor's treasures have been fully purified of demonic qi.
If any of you are interested, I invite you all to visit Reincarnation Peak."