Wan Luo wanted to immediately report to Hua Tiandu—strangle Fang Han in the cradle before he became unstoppable.
After all, Fang Han was only at the Sixth Layer of Divine Ability—the Return-to-One Realm, yet he had defeated Meng Shaobai, who stood at the Ninth Layer, Heaven-and-Earth Dharma Phase, and even killed a Ghost Emperor. If he managed to forge a Golden Core… how terrifying would he become? Perhaps the strongest beneath the Longevity Realm. When that time came, even Hua Tiandu might not be able to defeat him.
But Wan Luo knew very well—he was no match for Fang Han now.
One slap from Fang Han could knock him half-dead.
How did this happen? What kind of fortune did he obtain to grow this fast? Last year, he was only at the First Layer. In one year, he climbed all the way to the Sixth. Now he possessed two Dao Artifacts, more than a dozen top-grade treasures, and had cultivated fifty-five divine abilities. Such progress was unheard of in all recorded history.
Several elders and true disciples suddenly remembered: last year, Fang Han had just been an inner disciple. He shined brilliantly in the Mountain–River Ranking competition and took first place—talented, yes, but still a small figure. Now, in a single year, he had become a figure who could shake the entire cultivation world.
Of course, they had no idea Fang Han had actually cultivated for eighteen years inside the Taiyuan Immortal Mansion—and had guidance from a "mysterious expert." With that context, his progress was astonishing, but not unprecedented.
In great sects, if a Sect Master personally trained a chosen successor intensively for twenty years, forging a Golden Core wasn't impossible.
"Fang Han," Yan said from within the Yellow Springs Diagram, "this Meng Shaobai is indeed remarkable. Though you defeated him today, his potential is enormous. Give him a few more years to fully master the Kunpeng soul, and we would have lost. We can't let him grow further. Cut the weeds, eliminate the roots. He's already your mortal enemy—if you let him live, he'll bring disaster."
At that moment, the watching true disciples, elders, and grand elders were still in shock. Meng Shaobai had collapsed on the Tianxing Execution Platform, barely breathing. The result was clear: Fang Han had carved out a position equal to Hua Tiandu in the sect.
Hundreds of years later, the successor of the Sect Master would be chosen between these two men.
Whoosh!
Fang Han landed on the platform, intending to speak to the bloodstained, hateful Meng Shaobai—when Yan's warning filled his mind.
Meng Shaobai's Kunpeng soul had devoured an unimaginable number of treasures in a single breath—even Dao Artifacts. If Fang Han hadn't detonated a Purple-Light Thunder Seed inside the Kunpeng soul itself, Meng Shaobai might have swallowed all their magic weapons.
The only reason Fang Han won today was that the Kunpeng soul was newly born—like an infant unfamiliar with its own strength. If given two or three years to grow… the horror would be unimaginable.
Fang Han understood perfectly. Meng Shaobai's potential was terrifying.
But killing him now? Impossible.
They were on the sect's execution platform; Meng Shaobai had been defeated and could no longer fight. The duel was over. If Fang Han attempted to kill him now, the sect would stop him. They would never allow a true disciple at the Ninth Layer to be slaughtered publicly.
And sure enough—
Swish!
Someone appeared beside them in a blur.
It was Ruyizi, a grand elder in the Longevity Realm, one of Hua Tiandu's hidden pillars of support.
"The duel is over," Ruyizi said, sleeves billowing as a gentle but unyielding force blocked Fang Han. "Do you intend to kill your opponent now?"
This old viper… I'll find a chance to deal with him, Fang Han thought. The aura pressing against him felt bottomless—far more terrifying than the Ghost Emperor. If he fought Ruyizi, he would certainly lose.
"Who said the duel is over?" Fang Han replied coldly. "I haven't heard my opponent concede."
His gaze drifted toward Meng Shaobai. The white robes were stained with blood. He was attempting to circulate his qi to recover, but after taking the Purple-Light Thunder Seed head-on, recovery was nearly impossible. Only the Kunpeng soul kept him alive.
Finally, through shallow breaths, Meng Shaobai spoke.
"Fang Han… you were stronger this time. I concede." His voice sounded icy and distant, yet strangely steady—as though he had just reached an internal breakthrough. "But I didn't lose in Dao techniques. I lost because you had too many treasures—external aids. My Kunpeng soul was newly formed. You provoked me before I could master it. You fear that once I truly grasp it, you won't be able to defeat me. Hahaha! Truly, today I should thank you. I've grasped the essence of the Kunpeng's life force—you helped me break a bottleneck. When I recover, that will be your defeat."
This idiot really can't be taught, Fang Han thought, killing intent rising. But with Ruyizi blocking him, he couldn't act.
"You heard him, Fang Han," Ruyizi said coldly. "He already conceded. You only won due to superior treasures."
Ruyizi lifted a hand, releasing a stream of pure, luminous qi that fell onto Meng Shaobai's forehead like divine rain. Meng Shaobai's aura surged; he stood up, his injuries recovering by nearly a third.
"Thank you, Elder Ruyizi, for spending your vital energy to heal me. I will repay this kindness." He turned to Fang Han. "You won today. But within three years, I will challenge you again. Be ready."
Whoosh!
He turned into a streak of sword-light and fled back to his mountain peak.
Ruyizi gave Fang Han a thin smile. "This concludes the duel. Disperse. Our disciples must remain united. Recklessly fighting life-and-death battles like this is unacceptable."
"Ridiculous," Fang Han muttered, sneering. He gathered his treasures and returned to his own mountain.
Back on Reincarnation Peak, he sat cross-legged.
"Though I beat him today, I've now drawn the ire of Ruyizi. And Meng Shaobai's potential is immense. Once he fully masters the Kunpeng soul, he'll still be a major threat."
"Your vision is too small," Yan chided. "Once you forge your Golden Core and refine the Nine Ghosts' Primordial Spirit, no one below the Longevity Realm can threaten you. Why worry about a junior? Aim higher—toward Longevity experts, even immortals! Meng Shaobai has been defeated; he's the past."
"I understand. But I still need to consider all angles." Fang Han flicked his sleeve, revealing the Kunpeng Giant Egg he had taken. "He has the Kunpeng soul. I have its egg."
The egg was covered in dense black demonic runes—clearly inscribed by a master of the demonic path. Fang Han and Yan had long suspected those runes were some kind of arcane devouring formation, feeding energy into the egg.
Kunpengs were born with the ability to manipulate space. Adult Kunpengs drifted through the cosmos, devouring stars. Fang Han suddenly realized: he might be able to draw spatial power from the egg to strengthen his Great Cutting Technique, especially since devouring Meng Shaobai's blood earlier had strengthened it.
"Yan, you've studied this egg for a long time. What exactly are these runes? Have you made progress?"
If the egg were normal, Fang Han had many ways to absorb its spatial essence. But the demonic runes sealed everything.
Until—
Yan suddenly gasped. "I understand now! I finally see what these runes are. I only realized it after observing the Kunpeng soul just now."
"What are they?" Fang Han asked.
"These demonic runes…" Yan said slowly, voice trembling with excitement, "were inscribed to transform the Kunpeng egg into a massive magic formation—one designed to cultivate a supreme demonic ability. Not the Great Collapse Art, nor the Great Cutting Art… but a technique far more terrifying."
"What technique?"
"The Great Devouring Art."
Fang Han's expression froze.
The Great Collapse Art and Great Cutting Art were already considered supreme demonic divine abilities—difficult beyond comprehension.
But Yan continued, voice dark with awe:
"The Great Devouring Art can consume everything—energy, mana, magic treasures, even Dao Artifacts themselves. Meng Shaobai's Kunpeng soul's ability to swallow your treasures was only a pale shadow of this technique. The true Great Devouring Art… is stronger than the Kunpeng itself."